Sparks

Kelsey Plum initially sat quietly, holding back tears.

One issue weighed heavily on her mind — the lack of foul calls.

Calls that might have cost the Sparks a chance at victory in an 89-81 overtime loss to the Golden State Valkyries at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.

Plum’s voice eventually broke as she expressed her frustration during the postgame news conference.

“I drive more than anyone in the league, so to shoot six free throws is… absurd,” Plum said, preempting her comments with an acknowledgment that the WNBA might fine her for criticizing the officiating. “I’ve got scratches on my face. I’ve got scratches on my body. And these guards on the other team get these ticky-tack fouls — I’m sick of it.”

The lack of foul calls overshadowed the Sparks’ second loss in three matchups this season against the expansion Valkyries, adding to what has been a tough, 3-7 start for the team.

Plum said she felt she was getting fouled on nearly “every possession.” Although the Sparks edged the Valkyries in free-throw attempts 25-23, Plum was dumbfounded that she hardly got any whistles. She made all six of her free-throw attempts, with her final trip to the line coming with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter — off a three-point attempt.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Plum said, referring to the no-calls at the end of the third and fourth quarters in a close game. “There were multiple shots at the end of the game — end of the third, end of the fourth — where they’re just coming in… swinging, and they don’t call anything.”

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts backed Plum, echoing her frustrations. She pointed out how Plum earned her trips to the line, while Plum whispered to her coach that she’d cover any potential fine that might come her way.

“Three of those were off a three. One was technical, a three-second violation,” Roberts said. “She got one time to the free-throw line attacking. When you think about it, it’s not right. … Obviously, the scouting report is to be as physical as you can with her. And it’s being allowed. So we’ve got to talk to the league about it, but it isn’t right.

“You watch some of the other stars in the league, they don’t get fouled like that without going to the free throw line.”

After the news conference, Plum spoke with the officiating crew — Jenna Reneau, Biniam Maru and Blanca Burns — for several minutes outside their designated room at Crypto.com Arena.

Despite the physical play thrown her way, Plum once again led the Sparks with 24 points, seven assists and four rebounds — and had multiple chances to win the game. After a back-and-forth stretch, the Sparks briefly reclaimed control behind Plum’s late-game heroics.

With 37.8 seconds left in regulation, everyone inside Crypto.com Arena knew where the ball was going. The Valkyries (4-5) threw everything they had at Kelsey Plum, trying to deny her a shot. But with defenders draped all over her, Plum delivered — drilling a clutch three-pointer over Temi Fágbénlé to give the Sparks a 78–76 lead.

It looked like the breakthrough the Sparks needed to finally close it out — but an easy layup on the other end tied it with 17.8 seconds remaining. Plum had another chance to win it at the buzzer, but her floater rimmed out, sending the game to overtime.

Dearica Hamby had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Janelle Salaun led Golden State with 21 points and eight rebounds.

Golden State controlled the offensive glass, grabbing 17 rebounds to the Sparks’ six — a feat Roberts cited as a reason why the Valkyries won. Golden State finished with 49 total rebounds compared to the Sparks’ 34, further exposing L.A.’s struggles on the boards — they’re averaging just 32.2 per game.

Having already faced the Valkyries three times, the Sparks knew they would need to slow down their balanced offense and match the Valkyries’ physicality on defense.

For the most part, Roberts said her team did that by “forcing them to take some long, contested twos, and some tough, challenged threes.”

Roberts added: “They didn’t shoot it that much better than we did. Neither team had a tremendous shooting night, but if you get 17 second chances, you’re probably going to win.”

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase knew her team needed extra possessions to beat the Sparks. She said that at halftime, she was frustrated by the lack of rebounds — a problem that Golden State quickly resolved in the second half.

“First time, I feel like I really had to dig deep and go off on them, but they responded,” Nakase said. “We knew five wasn’t enough — that’s not enough to beat this team. … A lot of extra possessions, just credit to them for that hunger.”

DALLAS — Azurá Stevens had 21 points, including a career-high five three-pointers, Dearica Hamby added 20 points, and the Sparks beat the Dallas Wings 93-79 on Friday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Hamby and Stevens each reached 20-plus points for the fourth time this season. Odyssey Sims, who was coming off a 32-point performance in an 85-80 loss to Phoenix on Sunday, added 19 points and a trio of three-pointers for the Sparks.

The Sparks took a 45-40 lead at halftime after Sims converted a three-point play with 2.2 seconds left. Sims finished the half with nine points, Stevens added 13 and Hamby had 11.

Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, right, drives against Dallas Wings center Teaira McCowan during the first half Friday.

(LM Otero / Associated Press)

The Sparks started the third quarter on a 6-0 run and added a 9-0 run to begin the fourth for a 76-55 lead. The Wings had three turnovers and two missed shots in the opening three minutes of the fourth.

Stevens hit her fifth three-pointer with 4:45 left in the fourth on a wide-open shot from the corner off a nice drive and pass by Kelsey Plum.

Plum had 11 points, five rebounds and nine assists and Rickea Jackson scored 10 for the Sparks (3-6).

DiJonai Carrington scored 16 points and JJ Quinerly had a career-high 14 for Dallas (1-8). Luisa Geiselsoder had 11 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double. Kaila Charles had 10 points.

Dallas has yielded 90-plus points three times during its four-game losing streak.

At least 11 people died in a stampede outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru as crowds gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League title. Footage shows fans scaling fences and swarming the stadium.

This Morning host Ben Shephard was forced to issue an apology at the end of the show after a remark made by a guest earlier on in the ITV programme

This Morning swiftly tackled a comment made by a guest earlier on in the show.

As the programme was drawing to a close, host Ben Shephard stated: “We just want to take a moment to apologise if viewers were offended by a phrase that we used, by one of the teams that we had on the show today.

“If anybody was, we would like to say sorry.”

The moment of contrition followed a segment where Gyles Brandreth and Sayeeda Warsi were discussing topical stories.

Sayeeda had remarked during a chat about the social role of hairdressers, reports Wales Online.

She said: First of all, hairdressers are the place people go and offload. For a lot of people, especially older people, hairdressers are one of the few places where they still get regular company.”

“They don’t have a lot of human contact, many of them who may be living on their own. Particularly for black men or coloured men, or Asian men, I know I have doctors who say when men of certain backgrounds come in to hospital and you talk to them about how much pain they’re in, they always undersell because they’re brought up to not share their feelings and to try and be tough.”

Viewers rapidly moved to express their dismay on Twitter regarding the choice of words.

One viewer tweeted: “‘Coloured Men’, it’s 2025, this type of language!!!” While another challenged: “”Coloured men” What colour were they? #ThisMorning”

One viewer expressed their outrage, stating: “‘Coloured Men’ it’s not the 50s 60s 70s ffs how has she not been reprimanded.”

Another chimed in with: “#thismorning coloured men? ! How is this allowed and you’ve let her keep talking?!”.

A social media user questioned: “How is it acceptable for Sayeeda to say” coloured men”? @sayeedawarsi #thismorning.”

While another was shocked, tweeting: “Coloured men”??Did she just say that on national TV like it’s nothing?””

This isn’t the first time This Morning has faced a backlash from its viewers, as earlier in the week, many labelled one segment ‘cruel’.

On Monday, Cat and Ben were joined by two dogs and their owners, who had participated in this year’s annual Greenwich dog show.

However, they competed in a new category introduced for 2025, the Best Bridgerton Lookalike.

Appearing on the ITV programme, the dogs were dressed in costumes complete with wigs while their owners discussed the competition.

Despite many viewers expressing anger at seeing the dogs in costumes on the show, the two hosts addressed the potential criticism they might face.

Cat pointed out how content the dogs seemed, while Ben added: “There will be people asking, ‘Are the dogs happy?’ because dressing dogs up can sometimes get some criticism. Are they happy wearing the outfits? She seems pretty unbothered.”

Charlotte’s owner responded: “She’s pretty used to wearing clothes in general; when we go out, I tend to dress her up and try to coordinate our outfits.”

This Morning is available to watch on ITVX.

Over 200 inmates attacked guards and fled when tremors saw them removed from cells as safety precaution.

More than 200 inmates have escaped from a prison in Pakistan after they were moved from their cells for safety amid earthquake tremors, officials have said.

Several dozen of the prisoners that broke out of the jail in Karachi were quickly recaptured, police said on Tuesday, but at least 130 are understood to remain unaccounted for. Authorities added that raids are under way to apprehend those still at large.

Of the 216 prisoners who had fled from Malir prison during the night, 78 had been recaptured, Kashif Abbasi, a senior police official, told the AP news agency. He stressed that none of the escaped prisoners were convicted fighters.

Escapes are not common from Pakistani jails, which have stepped up security measures since an attack on a prison by the Pakistani Taliban in the town of Dera Ismail Khan, which freed hundreds of inmates.

One prisoner was killed and three security officials were wounded in a shootout that developed amid a bid to put one of the escapees back into custody.

Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, home minister for Sindh province, said the jailbreak happened while prisoners were removed from their cells for safety during the tremors. Once outside their cells, a group of inmates attacked guards, seized their weapons and opened fire.

In comments carried live on local TV news channels, Lanjar said the prison break was one of the largest ever in Pakistan, the Reuters news agency reported.

Two were killed, nearly 200 injured and more than 500 arrested after riots erupted in Paris following Paris Saint-Germain’s first-ever Champions League win. Footage shows police firing tear gas on crowds as looting, fires and clashes engulfed the Champs-Élysées.

This Morning viewers were left unimpressed on Monday’s show as they slammed a segment involving two dogs dressed in Bridgerton outfits.

Viewers of This Morning were left outraged by a segment featured in Monday’s programme.

Upon resuming their presenting roles after a week off, Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley greeted two pooches on the ITV show, suitably dolled up as characters from the popular Netflix series Bridgerton.

The pair of pups had bagged accolades at the latest Greenwich dog show for their uncanny resemblance to the regency styles showcased in Best Bridgerton Lookalike category.

Lola, the winner, donned an elegant blue gown with a perched crown atop her wig—a sight to behold, with her owner making sure it stayed put.

Charlotte, the French Bulldog who nabbed second place, sported a blush pink frock coupled with a golden blonde wig, report Wales Online.

As the segment unfolded, Cat couldn’t contain her laughter over the costumes and extended her kudos, although the lighthearted atmosphere didn’t translate to the audience at home.

People on X, previously known as Twitter, promptly voiced their dismay, labelling the canine costuming as ‘cruel’.

One person criticized: “Poor dressed up dog must be so hot with all that crap on! If you want something to dress up, buy a doll! So cruel! Makes me so angry.”

Echoing the sentiment, another shared: “Sorry that dog is not happy! #thismorning.”

Additionally, a viewer suggested: “I’d suggest, if you have to hold the costume on the dog at all times, it’s probably time to stop.”

Some animal lovers were left fuming after the segment, with one viewer tweeting: “ffs this is just ridiculous it’s animal cruelty that’s what it is…”

Another critic blasted: “This show is so twisted. Preaching one minute, the next showing this type of content. Perhaps get Dr Scott on at the same time!”

One concerned fan posted: “I hate seeing stuff like this encouraged on TV #ThisMorning” While another disgruntled viewer commented: “This is just ridiculous….. Just let you dogs be f****ng dogs and not an attempt to make you relevant.”

However, not everyone was opposed to the segment, with one amused viewer simply tweeting: “2 Victorian Dogs. Ah Ha.”

During the chat with the owner, it emerged that Lola had attempted to remove her crown before going on air, with Cat observing: “She seems very happy! Both of them seem so happy.”

The owner agreed: “Yes, I think she’s alright now, she’s settled.”

Ben then raised the issue of animal welfare, asking: “There will be people asking, ‘Are the dogs happy?’ because dressing dogs up can sometimes get some criticism. Are they happy wearing the outfits? She seems pretty unbothered.”

Charlotte’s owner explained that her pet was accustomed to wearing clothes, saying: “She’s pretty used to wearing clothes in general; when we go out, I tend to dress her up and try to coordinate our outfits.”

This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 12:30pm

Sunday’s matchup between the Sparks and Phoenix Mercury felt like déjà vu. When the Sparks faced Phoenix last month, the game ended with a failed Sparks comeback.

In a twist of fate, Sunday’s comeback belonged to Phoenix.

Unable to stay ahead after building an 18-point lead, the Sparks fell 85-80 to the Mercury at Crypto.com Arena for their third consecutive loss.

As with the first meeting, the third quarter proved to be the Sparks’ undoing. After scoring just seven points in the third quarter of their loss to Phoenix on May 21, the Sparks were outscored 24-9 in the third Sunday.

“You’ve got to live with it,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “Sometimes we have a bad day. It’s a bad day to have a bad day. We have a lead like that, but that’s the game.”

Before the game, Roberts said consistency in transition defense, avoiding prolonged bad stretches and fluid ball movement would define a strong third quarter. None of that materialized against Phoenix (5-2).

But even more costly was their inability to score in the second half.

“This game came down to us not shooting,” Roberts said. “We had eight threes in the first half. We finished with eight. They had the same amount of field goals we did. They just hit four more threes.”

After opening with their best first quarter of the season, the Sparks became visibly frustrated in the second half. A three-pointer from Kathryn Westbeld with 2:11 left in the third gave the Mercury their first lead, 58-57, and capped a 21-5 run.

The shift in energy was palpable in what became a chippy, physical game. Momentum swung in Phoenix’s favor late in the third when Satou Sabally was fouled by Kelsey Plum while scoring on a layup, pointing and shouting to the Sparks bench as she celebrated.

Sabbaly exchanged words with the Sparks bench throughout the game, and drew a technical foul before halftime. After the game, she said her and-one celebration was aimed at her former assistant — now Sparks assistant coach — Zak Buncik.

“Well, he just motivated me a little bit. So, I was telling him, ‘Thanks,’” she said.

Sabally finished as the Mercury’s leading scorer with 24 points. She also had nine rebounds.

The teams traded leads early in the fourth quarter. Trailing by two, with 25 seconds left, Plum turned over the ball while trying to pass to an open shooter. Plum then fouled Kitija Laksa, who made two free throws to make it a four-point game.

Plum was one for 13 in the second half, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds.

“I just missed,” Plum said. “I had four really good looks that felt good coming out of my hands at the end of the game. I’m going to get another chance to do it, and I’ll hit them. But, I mean, I just didn’t feel like I had my legs.”

Playing seven games in 15 days, the loss capped off a grueling stretch — one that Roberts attributed to the team’s inconsistency as a result of lost practice time.

The Sparks (2-6) were a different team in the first quarter behind a new starting lineup of Julie Allemand, Dearica Hamby, Azurá Stevens, Odyssey Sims, Plum. With Allemand in the lineup, Sarah Ashlee Barker, who had started the previous five games, came off the bench.

The Sparks scored 27 points and had a 10-point lead going into the second quarter. After struggling with flat starts all season, the team finally found an early rhythm — one they’ve shown in flashes, but haven’t sustained.

Standing at 5-foot-8, Sims — one of the Sparks’ fiercest competitors — helped keep the team in the game, scoring a game-high 32 points.

She relentlessly attacked the basket, giving Mercury defender Sami Whitcomb the “too small’ gesture in the process. She hit the floor multiple times on hard drives, fighting through contact, and getting in the faces of Mercury defenders to confront them about foul calls. At times, the toll of her effort showed, as she walked with a slight limp between plays.

“It was a little bit more aggressive,” Sims said of her performance. “I think the run was kind of big for me today. I tried to stay in that mode. We were up going into halftime, and I just wanted to just basically keep my foot on their necks.”

Despite the effort, Sims says the team “let this one slip away.”

Plum praised Sims’ ability to respond to the Mercury’s runs almost single-handedly — she scored 15 of the Sparks’ 30 second-half points — but it wasn’t enough to secure a much-needed win for a Sparks team that plays eight of its next 11 games on the road.

“Of course, this one stings,” Sims said. “We know it’s the third quarter. We keep saying the same thing over and over, kind of beating a dead horse at this point, but it’s going to be less talking about it, and more doing it.”

When the Sparks traded for Kelsey Plum, the buzz around her reunion with former championship teammate Dearica Hamby centered on one thing: their pedigree elevating the franchise.

On Tuesday night, fans got a glimpse of the potential that the duo could attain. The chemistry. The comfort. The way they fed off each other’s energy — stepping up when the Sparks needed it most, looking to build momentum off a previous hard-fought victory.

By the fourth quarter of an 88-82 loss to the Atlanta Dream (4-2) on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Sparks (2-4) were on the verge of a comeback. A steal by Hamby near midcourt turned into an outlet on the fastbreak to Plum, who quickly dished it back for the finish, trimming the deficit to 66–63.

The second half belonged to them. Plum and Hamby combined for 39 points to rally the Sparks from a 40–31 halftime hole. Like clockwork, Plum buried a clutch three-pointer to cut the lead to 71–70 — the closest L.A. would get. Hamby’s late free throws pulled them to within two in the final minutes.

They led by example — attacking the basket, applying pressure on defense, diving for loose balls — doing everything necessary to win the close games the Sparks have so often found themselves in this season.

But in the end, like so often before, their effort fell just short.

Although the duo played with a sense of urgency, it’s still something the team as a whole struggles to sustain over a full 40 minutes, according to head coach Lynne Roberts. It seemed they might have turned a corner Sunday, but that performance now feels like the exception, not the start of a trend.

“My message to the group was we’ve got to be able to put 40 minutes together and not get down and then play with that urgency,” Roberts said. “We have the ability to play like that more, and that’s what I’d like to see when we go in those spurts or the droughts.”

As a team, the drought came in the second quarter. Coming off their highest-scoring game of the season, the Sparks looked out of sorts against a staunch Atlanta defense that refused to give up easy baskets.

The Dream disrupted the Sparks’ rhythm from the start, denying space for them to initiate sets, locate open shooters or generate meaningful possessions — the blueprint of Roberts’ offense. That inefficiency became more pronounced as the quarter progressed, when opportunities came sparingly and turnovers, whether from steals or denied attempts at the rim, became a recurring theme.

“I could do a better job,” Plum said, shouldering the brunt of the offensive inefficiency in the period. “Getting the people the ball, good shot. And I think we had a lot of good looks around the rim early… Just missed them, and credit to them.”

Plum finished with 27 points, five assists, three rebounds and four steals, and Hamby had 28 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals of her own, with Roberts adding that “those are stupid numbers. And her defense there in the second half got us back in it.”

With inconsistency still prevalent and struggles to close out games lingering, Plum and Hamby agree the team is close to improving, but the process is ongoing.

“If you watch these game, we’re right freaking there,” Plum said.

Hamby says success won’t come this early in the season, reflecting on her and Plum’s championship experience in Las Vegas.

“We enjoy the process — been part of the process,” Hamby said. “We know that it’s not like it happens overnight. It’s not going to happen in the first six games of the season.

“Obviously, we want to compete and we want to keep building. But perspective: this is a new group. We’re learning a whole new system. It’s predicated on chemistry, movement, space, team.”

But the road to success remains a marathon.

The Sparks will have only a few days to continue their team-building efforts before hitting the road for a matchup in Las Vegas against the Aces — the former home of both All-Stars. For Plum, it signifies her first return since the offseason trade.

The quick turnaround also gives Rickea Jackson, fresh off a concussion, more time to ease back into the lineup.

With starters logging heavy minutes and rookies thrust into high-pressure roles early in the season, the Sparks simply needed more bodies to ease the burden. The return of Rickea Jackson was a welcome boost.

Still, the Sparks took a cautious approach to her reintroduction. Jackson came off the bench and played limited minutes (12) mostly in the second half, as she worked to reacclimate to the pace of live play.

At times, she looked like a player still finding her rhythm, missing shots she typically makes and picking up uncharacteristic fouls. She finished with more fouls than any other stat: three fouls and just one rebound.

Against the Chicago Sky, the Sparks found themselves in a must-win situation, not in the grand scheme of the standings, but for peace of mind. A win to help with confidence and morale.

After a week riddled with injuries and a three-game skid, Sunday’s matchup carried weight beyond the court — it mattered in the locker room. The pressure was starting to show, with visible signs of frustration from head coach Lynne Roberts down to the end of the bench.

The Sparks were a team searching for anything to swing the momentum back in their favor.

That shift came in the form of their superstar, Kelsey Plum, who took it upon herself to ignite the turnaround with a shooting clinic in the third quarter. Her flurry helped lift L.A. to a much-needed 91-78 win over the Sky at Crypto.com Arena.

Despite a back-and-forth start and a 43-39 halftime lead, the question remained: Which version of the Sparks would emerge after the break — the lethargic, disconnected squad or a group finally ready to deliver the full 40-minute effort Roberts has pleaded for?

Out of the locker room, the Sparks found a renewed energy. What followed was a shooting barrage from beyond the arc.

Plum sparked the run, and fittingly, she helped seal it too.

As she let her first left-handed three fly, the confidence in her stroke started to build. The second, from the top of the key, came with a signature gesture — Plum pointing to her veins, signaling the ice running through them. Then came the heat check: back-to-back threes that only added to her fire. A final three dropped cleanly through the net, punctuating the outburst.

Plum went five for six in the quarter, scoring 15 of her 28 total points, helping L.A. stretch the lead to 76-64 by the end of the third. The Sparks finished eight of 11 from the field in the quarter as a team.

Plum left it all on the floor for the Sparks. At one point, she took a shot to the nose and stayed down for a couple of minutes. But after brushing off the injury, Plum returned to the lineup and finished the game, embodying the grit the Sparks desperately needed.

But even against the league’s worst scoring offense (66.0 points per game) and defense (96.0), in what seemed like the perfect opportunity to exploit a team with even worse early-season woes, the game unfolded as two physical squads refusing to back down.

Coming in, there was no doubt that low-post anchors Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens would face a tough challenge, tasked with matching up against Chicago’s frontcourt duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese — both boasting a clear advantage in size and length.

In the first half, however, Hamby and Stevens limited Cardoso and Reese to a combined 12 points and nine rebounds — a small but important victory against a Sky team ranked third in the WNBA in rebounding (39.0 per game).

Reese finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds — her third double-double of the season — while Cardoso added 12 points but was limited to just six boards. The Sparks’ frontcourt tandem managed to keep the damage manageable, preventing the kind of interior dominance Chicago has leaned on throughout the early season.

Although not an official rivalry steeped in tradition just yet, the competitiveness between California’s two WNBA teams suggests the start of one.

With the Sparks and Golden State Valkyries trying to jump start new eras for their respective franchises, the meeting marked the third clash between the teams in as many weeks — and it left the Sparks emotionally and physically bruised.

On their first road trip to Southern California on Friday, the expansion Valkyries exacted revenge on one of the WNBA’s charter members, holding off a late Sparks comeback in an 82-73 win.

The Sparks’ frustration was evident after the game. Coach Lynne Roberts looked displeased. Beside her, rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker sat stone-faced, a fresh shiner darkening the area beneath her right eye. Dearica Hamby rested her head in her hands, her responses to questions from the media brief and subdued.

“They beat us tonight,” Roberts said. “They were more connected. They played harder. They played with more intensity.”

What began as a back-and-forth battle quickly underscored how evenly matched the two teams are despite being at different stages. The final score suggested a close game, but for much of the night, it looked like it would be a Valkyries rout.

The Sparks surged to an early 20-9 lead behind strong play from Odyssey Sims, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby. Sims hit three early three-pointers and Plum added six points fueled by defensive pressure and steals. Hamby anchored the interior with physical play.

But much like their previous two matchups, inconsistency quickly crept in for the Sparks (1-3). The Sparks’ struggles emerged after halftime in their last two games. This time, the unraveling came earlier.

“We stopped following the game plan,” Roberts said. “It’s bad — we’ve got to fix it. We need to put together a full 40 minutes. We haven’t done that yet.”

A second-quarter collapse — marked by defensive breakdowns and offensive stagnation — put L.A. in a hole too big to overcome. Entering the period with a two-point lead, Golden State went on an 18-0 run to take a 45-26 lead.

Golden State (2-1) shot 10 for 18 (55.6%) from the field in the second quarter, looking every bit like a team determined to avenge its two earlier losses — one in the preseason and the other in their season opener.

Meanwhile, the Sparks appeared far removed from the cohesion and toughness they showed in a loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday — the kind of progress coach Lynne Roberts pointed to as a sign of early-season growth. The Sparks didn’t register a field goal in the second quarter until the 2:36 mark.

L.A. trailed 49-35 at halftime after shooting just 2 for 16 from the field and scoring nine points in the second quarter.

From the start, the Valkyries’ game plan centered on containing Kelsey Plum, who erupted for 37 points against them on May 16. Golden State’s defense swarmed Plum with traps and forced the ball out of her hands, limiting her to 16 points on six-of-18 shooting, including two for 10 from beyond the arc. She also had four steals.

Golden State’s lead hovered around 15 points for much of the third quarter. The Sparks only began to chip away at the deficit in the fourth quarter.

A three-pointer from Plum cut the Valkyries’ lead to 73-63 with just under six minutes remaining. Moments later, Hamby powered to the rim through heavy contact, converting a tough layup and drawing the foul. Her successful free throw made it an eight-point game.

Hamby continued to take charge, shooting a three-pointer with 2:32 left to make it a five-point game.

“We definitely picked up the defensive energy,” Hamby said of the fourth-quarter effort. “We got some good hustle plays and tried to build momentum — but I want to win, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

But that was as close as the Sparks would get after Hamby fouled Kayla Thornton on a three-point attempt. Thornton made all three of her free-throw attempts.

Robert liked what she saw from the Sparks in the fourth quarter, but she wants to see that urgency deployed earlier and throughout the game.

“We can’t wait,” Roberts said. “We did show toughness — we didn’t fold. They kept competing, and we made it a game. … But why does it take us 30 minutes to play like that?”

Hamby scored 10 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter. She also had six rebounds and three blocks. Sims finished with 13 points as the Sparks suffered their third consecutive loss. Carla Leite led Golden State with 19 points.

Golden State’s win marked a special homecoming for Anaheim native and Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who said she felt a wave of emotion as the team flew into L.A. Seeing familiar landmarks from the window of the plane — including her childhood homes — stirred memories of her father and the path that led her to becoming a WNBA coach. Nasake served as an assistant coach under Clippers coach Doc Rivers.

“It’s like seeing the ushers — a lot of them I’ve known for a long time, and they’re just saying congratulations and what an accomplishment,” said Nakase of the surreal feeling of winning at Crypto.com Arena. “It’s nice to see a lot of familiar faces.”

You only get one shot at a first impression — and for the Sparks, led by a first-year coach and a new superstar, Sunday marked the home crowd’s first glimpse of the new-look squad inside Crypto.com Arena.

With high aspirations, including a return to the playoffs, the Sparks faced an early litmus test in the Minnesota Lynx — a perennial contender and last year’s WNBA runner-up, led by one of the league’s elite talents in Napheesa Collier.

The Sparks showed they are clearly capable of competing for a playoff spot with their energetic and cohesive play, but their 89-75 loss to Minnesota also demonstrated they’re still behind the league’s elite teams.

In the first half, the Sparks (1-1) went toe-to-toe with the Lynx. They trailed 46-45 at halftime, an encouraging start for a team learning to gel under new leadership while facing a battle-tested opponent returning five starters from last year’s Finals run.

Dearica Hamby led the charge on the offensive glass, relentlessly converting at the free-throw line. She led the Sparks with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double.

Azurá Stevens was unshaken on catch-and-shoot looks, confidently letting it fly on her way to a team-high 21 points. Rickea Jackson added a physical presence, attacking defenders and establishing herself in the lane.

But by the start of the fourth quarter, the Sparks trailed by eight. They mounted a brief comeback, sparked by a Kelsey Plum steal that led to a transition layup, cutting the deficit to 80-75. A gritty defensive stand followed, with rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker and Collier hitting the deck for a loose ball, setting up another Sparks possession.

But missed opportunities on the offensive end allowed the Lynx (2-0) to regain momentum and push the lead to double digits — a margin that proved too much to overcome.

Already shorthanded, the Sparks suffered another blow when Jackson went down after a hard collision late in the third quarter. She remained on the floor for a few minutes before walking off with the help of trainers. Jackson watched the rest of the game from the bench.

Stevens was a much-needed contributor, showcasing the skills she worked on during the offseason, notably her improved three-point shooting. She scored 12 of the team’s first 17 points, making her first trio of three-point attempts to give the Sparks an early lead.

Defensively, Stevens drew the tough assignment of containing Collier, a matchup nightmare for the entire Sparks unit. Coming off a 34-point outing Friday that tied her career high, Collier scored 23 points.

The Sparks leaned heavily on Plum in their season-opening win Friday against Golden State, logging 40 minutes — a workload coach Lynne Roberts called “unsustainable.” To lighten the load, Roberts turned to Barker for critical minutes at the point.

While Barker wasn’t stellar offensively, she played 24 minutes and brought a much-needed jolt of defensive energy. Plum finished with 18 points and five assists.

It marked Barker’s first game at Crypto.com Arena — a milestone for the self-proclaimed “Mamba Mentality” disciple, stepping up for a depleted backcourt. With just four healthy guards available, the team continues to navigate Rae Burrell’s absence as she recovers from a knee injury that is expected to keep her out six to eight weeks.

Last November, gathered along the concourse of Crypto.com Arena, newly appointed Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts issued a clear directive on her first day for the 2025 season: to win. A tall order coming off the worst season in franchise history.

Seated beside her, general manager Raegan Pebley, certain she had chosen the right leader to revive a franchise that had tumbled far from its championship standard, echoed Roberts’ belief.

Five months later, back on that very concourse, Roberts’ message remained unmistakable: “We’re not just happy to be here. … We want to compete, and every time we put on that jersey, we want to win.”

The message, trickling down from the Sparks’ front office to the coaching staff to the players, is unified — it’s not a rebuild, nor a restart, but a reclamation.

After years of decline, an offseason injection of capital followed by a franchise-altering trade and the signing (and re-signing) of championship-experienced veterans, signaled a push to restore the reputation of a flagship WNBA team in one of the league’s marquee markets.

While desire alone won’t guarantee victories, especially for a team with just eight last season, this season has already started on a promising note with a dominant 84-67 victory that spoiled the expansion Golden State Valkyries’ first regular-season game on Friday.

With last year behind them, the focus is on ending a four-year playoff drought.

“I haven’t been shy about saying I want to make the playoffs,” Roberts said on what first-year success looks like. “With the roster we have, we can. Is it going to be hard? Yeah, climbing is hard. Changing things is hard.”

For a reclamation to take hold and a climb back into playoff relevance to become a reality, the Sparks will rely on the dogged leadership of their newest star, Kelsey Plum, acquired in a three-team trade in January. The fiery floor general is not just here to run the point. She’s here to lead.

A fresh voice on the team, Plum brings a superstar stature to complement fellow All-Star Dearica Hamby. Their reunion is a full-circle moment. After six seasons and a championship together in Las Vegas, they’re back on the same side, this time with something to prove in L.A.

“It’s no mystery that they’re our best players, and when your best players are also your hardest workers, they lead by trying to empower,” Roberts said. “The most impactful part is that they do it without ego. They’re very confident. … It’s impossible as a young player not to be affected by that. … But it’s in a way that’s never threatening or intimidating.”

This season, the team will lean on the duo’s championship pedigree, counting on them to instill the mindset and habits of a winning culture. So far, the two have led in different but equally impactful ways.

In stepping into a new leadership role, Plum sets the tone with fierce competitiveness, pushing younger teammates through example and empowerment. Hamby counters with understanding and steadiness, serving as a calming presence and mentor. This dichotomy of leadership styles could prove instrumental in a locker room filled with rookies and rising stars.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, bringing the ball up the court while defended by Valkyries guard Kate Martin, had 37 points, six assists and five steals in a season-opening win Friday.

(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

Plum arrives with an impressive list of accolades — two-time champion, three-time All-Star, Sixth Woman of the Year, Olympic gold medalist. Those credentials could easily stoke ego or entitlement, but by all accounts, her demeanor in the locker room is anything but that. Teammates describe her as grounded and approachable. They’ve quickly rallied behind her.

“I enjoy coming to work every day,” said forward Rickea Jackson, entering her second season. “To be part of something like this, it’s a breath of fresh air. Some people try to overstep or be a stickler, but she [Plum] does just enough. She says just enough. Her energy speaks for itself — she doesn’t have to feel like she has to go out and get respect.”

For Plum, this season is about fulfilling the blueprint Pebley and Roberts outlined in their first conversation. Their shared commitment to restoring the Sparks’ championship standard — something the franchise hasn’t lived up to in nearly a decade — convinced Plum to approve the trade months ago.

“Everything starts and ends with vision — you operate out of a vision,” Plum said. “In life, you’ve got to adapt and continue to grow and get better. And I understand there’s been a lull here, and everyone’s aware of that. … I’m here to not only build culture, but affect winning, and I think they’re on the same trajectory.”

After years of contributing to championship-caliber teams, Plum is champing at the bit to lead her own squad. She believes that focusing on executing the game plan and driving team success will naturally lead to individual accolades.

“There are a lot of players who can put up empty stats, but for me, it’s about how I can help this team win,” Plum said. “I understand where we were last year, and my goal is to significantly change that.”

Statistically, Hamby and Plum rank among the WNBA’s elite duos. Last season, Hamby led the team, averaging 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Plum brings added offensive depth with a top-10 scoring average (17.8 points) and precision shooting from beyond the arc — she was third in the league with 110 made three-pointers.

After one game, the two are already thriving under Roberts’ new system, which stresses freedom — freedom to stretch the floor, create more open three-point opportunities and boost offensive output through a “positionless” approach. Plum scored 37 points — the most ever in a WNBA season opener — while Hamby recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Valkyries.

“It’s clear they have on-court chemistry,” Roberts said. “They’re not afraid to use their voice. … I can call something, and then those two are kind of whispering about how they’re going to run an audible, and it almost always works.”

As a team, everyone from decade-long veterans such as Plum and Hamby to rookies Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin, is learning the system together, fostering a shared urgency to get on the same page and reap the benefits of a reset.

“I feel like we are ahead of the curve in terms of our newness,” said Jackson of the reimagined Sparks. “Everyone’s a hooper, everybody’s a dog. You can tell we just want to win at the end of the day… We hold each other accountable, and no one takes it personally.”

At their core, the Sparks are a youthful roster. Jackson, Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell — all under 25 — were starters last season and represent the foundation of the team’s future.

For now, Jackson appears poised to take a step forward from the start. She spent the offseason sharpening her skills in Unrivaled, the women’s professional three-on-three basketball league.

Jackson’s play has many picking her as the WNBA’s next breakout star — a high bar that comes with even higher pressure for last year’s No. 4 overall draft pick. A standout from one of the deeper draft classes in recent memory, Jackson is expected to ascend from rookie starter to potential All-Star.

Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, right, gets past Valkyries forward Monique Billings for a layup during a season-opening win on Friday.

(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

Burrell also benefited from Unrivaled, but she suffered an apparent knee injury in Friday’s opener against the Valkyries and had to be carried off the court by teammates. It’s unclear how much time she could miss, but it might be significant.

Brink, Jackson’s rookie classmate, is still rehabbing from aknee injury. On media day, she offered a positive update, saying she feels confident about her recovery.

Barring setbacks, Brink is expected back around the All-Star break in mid-July. She participated in parts of training camp, building chemistry with Plum, but was occasionally absent and seen in a walking boot due to “foot discomfort,” per the team. The organization remains cautious in its approach and says Brink “continues to move in a positive direction.”

Azurá Stevens is stepping up to fill the frontcourt gap in Brink’s absence. A former champion with the Chicago Sky, now in her second stint in L.A., Stevens also competed in Unrivaled this offseason. She helped lead Rose BC to the inaugural championship.

Pebley and Roberts shaped the roster through close collaboration. While they aligned on many decisions and diverged on others, Pebley says every move stemmed from open dialogue and thoughtful debate.

Now in her second year as GM, Pebley is intrinsically linked to Roberts, with their roster-building synergy central to the team’s foundation. A unified approach is believed to give Roberts, an accomplished leader with 27 years of college coaching experience but new to the pros, the best chance to succeed in her first WNBA season and years to come.

“We are really working hard to make sure that we’re building to a win-now mentality, but also win in the future,” Pebley said. “And there’s a balance. … There’s a lot of thoughtfulness that has to go into all of these decisions to make that happen.”

Against the Valkyries, the starting lineup featured Plum — the lone newcomer — alongside 12-year veteran Odyssey Sims in the backcourt, Jackson and Hamby at forward with Stevens anchoring the frontcourt. The plan is to stick with this lineup until Brink returns.

Winning is at the forefront this season. The hope is that the organization has built a roster around Plum and Hamby, a pair of All-Stars capable leading the team on a postseason run. .

Plum is ready for the task.

“I was put in this position to be able to carry a heavier load,” Plum said. “And I have broad shoulders.”

The magnitude of the earthquake has since been updated to 6.0 as a tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake struck near the coast of Crete, which is the most populous of the Greek islands

Holidaymakers in Crete have been warned to steer clear of coastal areas amid tsunami concerns following an earthquake.

An urgent tsunami alert was sounded on the Greek island this morning after a significant 5.9 magnitude tremor hit near the coast of Crete, Greece‘s most densely populated island. The Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in Greece subsequently announced: “A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos. Risk of possible Tsunami in your area. Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.”

The quake’s magnitude has been revised to 6.0 since the initial reports. Coastal alerts were issued this morning in regions frequented by holidaymakers from all over Europe, including Brits.

For those with travel plans to Greece who are reconsidering their trip in light of the earthquake, it’s crucial to understand your legal position and refund entitlements.

Have you been impacted by the earthquake? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: Greece earthquake: TUI sends honeymoon duo terrifying ‘get to high ground’ alert hours after landing

This issue is particularly pertinent at present, as several top European holiday spots have recently been affected by natural calamities, power outages, and social unrest, prompting many travellers to think about cancelling their forthcoming holidays.

This advisory follows a recent caution from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to tourists planning trips to Turkey after a 6.2-magnitude quake struck Istanbul on April 23.

The FCDO has issued a warning that “many parts of Turkey regularly experience earthquakes and ‎tremors”, cautioning that these natural events can be “high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure, and pose ‎a risk to life”. ‎.

In other news, Spain and Portugal have been plunged into disarray due to an unexpected blackout, leaving millions, including British holidaymakers, in chaos.

Tourists flocking to Spanish destinations like the Balearic and Canary Islands are being alerted about possible upsets this summer, as local activist groups are set to intensify their anti-tourism demonstrations.

With travel abroad currently fraught with unpredictability, the specialists at Tiger.co.uk are advising Brits to verify cancellation policies with their travel insurers if they’re considering pulling out of their plans and seeking reimbursement.

Regrettably, standard insurance packages typically don’t cover travellers who simply decide against going on their trip – a situation referred to as ‘disinclination to travel’ within the insurance industry, where providers usually won’t compensate.

However, there’s an important caveat: when the FCDO advises against travel to a particular area, such as it has done for regions of Turkey within 10km of the Syrian border due to “fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism”, travel companies are obligated to offer either a full refund or alternative arrangements. It’s vital to note that travelling to a location against FCDO advice is likely to nullify any travel insurance coverage.

As of 11am on May 14, the FCDO has yet to issue guidance on the earthquake that struck Greece.

Ian Wilson, a travel insurance specialist and managing director at Tiger.co.uk, commented: “While the chances of being caught up in a natural disaster or civil unrest while abroad are relatively small, it is understandable that some travellers will have concerns about safety and potential disruption to their holidays this summer and may be thinking of cancelling their trip.”

He warned that: “However – unless the UK Foreign Office has issued official advice against travel to your chosen destination – you will most likely be left out of pocket if you choose to cancel, as tour operators or insurance providers are not obligated to refund you for having a change of heart.”

He further explained that: “Most standard travel insurance policies contain cancellation cover which provides cover if your holiday can’t go ahead, but this will only apply in circumstances beyond your control, such as a sudden illness or the death of a close relative.”

Stressing the fallout of personal decisions, he said: “In short, if you decide you no longer want to travel but the provider says the trip can still go ahead, you will have limited grounds to seek reimbursement.”

For those still anxious about travelling, Wilson advised: “However, if you have a trip booked and are still worried about travelling, you may want to consider looking into travel disruption insurance, which offers protection for a wider range of risks, should the unexpected happen.

“This means that if your holiday is impacted by a natural disaster, an outbreak of civil unrest or sudden airline strike, you are likely to be protected financially.

“When planning your holiday abroad, it is important to do some research to ensure your intended destination is safe for tourists. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has a red list of over 70 countries that have no-go zones for UK travellers, and visiting these areas could invalidate your travel insurance.

“Always make sure you check the destination on the FCDO website and look out for any warnings against travel before you book a trip.”