The Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA had an opportunity to join some of the elite teams in the WNBA last Sunday at the Staples Center when they played one of the best teams in the league. Their 85-72 loss to the Minnesota Lynx proved that they have not reached that level yet.
Minnesota out hustled the Sparks and came up with key rebounds when the game was on the line. “It does not matter if you are coaching in college or the WNBA you have to rebound the basketball consistently to be able to beat one of the better teams in the league,” said Sparks head coach Carol Ross. “Rebounding is not easy for us but there’s nothing easy about being good.”
Ross, who is in her third year as the leader of the Sparks wants her team to be mentally and physically tougher. “You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get in there and scrap,” said Ross. “Defensive rebounding is five people on the boards. We are not rebounding when we need to. You have to want the ball, you have to pursue the ball and you have to be ball hungry.”
Although the Sparks played hard only Candace Parker was able to score and rebound with consistency. She scored 24 point and grabbed 11 rebounds. “We have to win games, that’s the most important thing we have to do to go to the next level,” said Parker after the loss. “We need to take it one game at a time and hopefully we can come back next week in practice and be better prepared to go on the road.”
The 3-4 Sparks play their next two games on the road against Tulsa on Friday and San Antonio on Saturday before returning to the Staples Center for four games beginning with rematch with the 8-1 Lynx on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The remaining three games at home will be against Tulsa on Thursday June 1, at 7:30 p.m., San Antonio on Sunday June 22, at 12:30 p.m. and Seattle Tuesday June 24 at 12:30 p.m.
In other pro sports the Los Angeles Kings look like they are ready to win another Stanley Cup championship after their 3-0 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden last Monday. If the Rangers can get one victory in New York the Kings will return home to the Staples Center for game five on Friday at 5 p.m. on channel 4.
The second place Dodgers start a six game hand home stand on Friday when they face the last place Arizona Diamondbacks for three games and on Monday they start a three game series with the third place Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers are currently struggling with the highest payroll in baseball while the Oakland A’s have one of the best records in baseball with a low payroll. That leads to the question. Are the Clippers really worth 2 billion dollars?
In horse racing, the great California Chrome made us forget about some of our problems until he tied for fourth in the Belmont Stakes last Saturday in New York. Thousands of horse racing fans showed up at Santa Anita Race Track to watch live racing and California Chrome on the large video broad. Chrome was shooting for that ever elusive triple crown. The last time a horse won the triple crown was 36 years ago and that’s why California Chrome created some much excitement.
The excitement continues at
for the next three weekends with racing every Saturday and Sunday until Sunday June 29. For race times you can call 626 574-6396.