Los Angeles Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts is tired of talking about the ifs and buts of their game, and now wants actual results to show up every gameday, especially in defense.

Defensive issues have carried over from last season for the Sparks, and personnel changes were made from the coaching staff to the roster in an effort to improve. 

Roberts addressed the media before the game against the Portland Fire, expressing frustration about the team's need to find ways to improve overall.

"Be disciplined… We haven't put a new thing in since training camp in terms of sets... We haven't added complexities defensively. You know it, do it… We know we’re 'right there.' I’m tired of talking about being 'right there.'" Roberts said.

As of now, the Sparks are last in the WNBA in defensive metrics. They are 15th in opponents' points, giving up 93.0 per game, and are also 15th in defensive rating at 115.6.

The Sparks made a few changes to implement defensive duties, adding defensive coach Ebony Hoffman to the staff, and trading Ariel Atkins to sign Nneka Ogwumike.

Roberts acknowledges that the Sparks have demonstrated their ability to perform at an elite level defensively. However, she feels frustrated by the lack of consistency and effort and would be disappointed if the team fails to reach its full potential.

“We’re not running complex schemes right now. You’ve got to walk before you can run. We have to have discipline to just execute the scheme, what we’re trying to do. We do it sometimes, we don’t do it the next time,” Roberts said.

One potential idea that has been hovering around is that the Sparks could start all three of the team's bigs in a much-needed change-up.

The Sparks Can Roll Out the Big Guns

Cameron Brink, Nneka Ogwumike, and Dearica Hamby all together in the Sparks lineup would certainly be a choice that should not be ignored.

Brink has been the team's best interior defender and the best shot-blocker at 1.5 per game, making her the sixth overall in the league.

The issue surrounding Brink is that she needs to make these actions without averaging four fouls per game, which is on par with her rookie season in 2024.

While Roberts has said she doesn’t have immediate plans to roll out that lineup, she acknowledged she was not opposed to it at some point in the season.

But the Sparks head coach is still confident that their defensive woes will improve after the strong resolve she has seen among her players throughout the season.

Sunday night was a good example of that, as the Sparks overcame the Fire in a blowout victory, limiting them to just 72 points. Ogwumike and Hamby combined for 42 out of the Sparks' 89 points.

Roberts' team will next play the Seattle Storm on Wednesday in hopes of getting even on wins and losses (5-6 currently), as the Commissioner's Cup is in full flow.

So, how much better do you think the Sparks will get in defense throughout the season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy