The Los Angeles Sparks are certainly enduring a very bad week. Back-to-back losses by large margins have not just raised serious doubts about the team's defense, but have also gotten them into the record books in all the wrong ways!

On X, Ball Don’t Lie provided context for the struggles of the Sparks: "The Sparks find themselves on the wrong side of history following Saturday's loss to the Fever. 111 points allowed in loss vs. Fever. 125 points allowed in loss vs. Tempo."

With those two defeats, the Sparks became the first team in WNBA history to allow 110 or more points in consecutive games.

On Saturday, they allowed 111 points in losing to the Indiana Fever, 87-111. Earlier in the week, they surrendered 125 points to the Toronto Tempo in a 97-125 loss.

Fever’s defeat was bitter, considering the situation. Caitlin Clark, who averages 21.2 points and 8.2 assists for the season, did not play because of her back problem, but the team could still score 55.2% from the field, make 10 of 19 three-pointers, and score 27 of 33 from the free-throw line.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 26 points (9 of 13 shots), and Aliyah Boston scored 17 points with seven rebounds, with 15 of those points in the first half.

The Tempo game was another chapter of agony. Marina Mabrey put up 53 points to equal the mark held by Liz Cambage and A’Ja Wilson.

Mabrey hit nine shots from beyond the arc and tied another record, whereas Julie Allemand led the charge from behind the scenes with 13 points and 14 assists with zero turnovers.

The Sparks have already been without Kelsey Plum for at least four weeks because she injured her left leg, but their current record stands at 8-10, and their defensive problems are getting hard to ignore game after game.

While the defensive statistics of the Sparks dominated the media, there was something else to note about Saturday's game.

Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin Reunite on the Sidelines as Former Iowa Teammates Miss Fever vs. Sparks Matchup

Two of the most familiar faces of Iowa’s legendary backcourt were both in street clothes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, thus giving another layer of intrigue to what was an eventful day.

Just Women’s Sports shared this meeting in a video posted to their Instagram account with a simple caption.

"The former college teammates will both miss tonight's Fever vs. Sparks matchup due to injury," the caption read.

Clark suffered an injury to her back in the Fever’s Wednesday match against the Phoenix Mercury, while Martin is recovering from a mid left knee strain, which she suffered during the Fever’s game against the Minnesota Lynx on June 17.

The two have played 139 games together during their time at Iowa for the past four seasons, where they led the Hawkeyes to the national championship game twice, in 2023 and 2024.

What do you think about Clark and Martin's sideline reunion? Comment down below and let us know your thoughts.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta