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Storm's Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike Dismantle Shorthanded Sparks

Los Angeles drops its second straight contest on Tuesday night.
Ben Geffner|
Jun 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) is defended by Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jun 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) is defended by Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Despite strong offensive efforts from Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker and Azurá Stevens, the Los Angeles Sparks dropped their second consecutive contest — a 98-67 loss to the Seattle Storm at Crypto.com Arena — on Tuesday night.

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The trio served as the only players to post double-digit points for the purple and gold in the defeat.

Stevens poured in 16 points, 10 rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes, while Jackson logged a team-high 17 points and two steals in 36 minutes. Barker added 12 points and seven rebounds on efficient 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

Led by a flurry of early scores, the Storm raced out to 26-19 lead after 10 minutes that was never contested. Seattle outscored Los Angeles in all four frames — highlighted by a 28-14 road scoring run in the third quarter that eventually ballooned the advantage to 30-plus.

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Seattle's Gabby Williams recorded four steals in the first quarter alone, becoming the first player in franchise history with at least four steals in three straight games, per a release.

The league's 2025 leader in steals capped the first half with six takeaways, tying her career-high for single-game steals while matching the most steals in a game by any WNBA player thus far this season.

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She finished the game with 11 points, seven assists and eight steals.

Furthermore, red-hot scoring by Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike maintained the controlled road pace offensively while gradually building the Storm lead against the shorthanded Sparks' backcourt.

Read more: Caitlin Clark Returns From Injury in Advance of Huge Matchup Against Sparks

Ogwumike led with a game-high 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting. Diggins added 15 points and seven assists.

The Sparks' look to reenter the win column against the Minnesota Lynx this Saturday, the start of a three-game road trip before returning home to face the Chicago Sky on June 29.

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Sparks' Kelsey Plum Reacts to Georgia Amoore's ACL Injury

International Legend Reveals Reason For Rejoining LA

Sparks Waive Two Players Ahead of 2025 Season

Sparks’ Cameron Brink Revisits Feeling After Tearing ACL

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Sparks, visit Los Angeles Sparks on SI.

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Ben Geffner
BEN GEFFNER

Ben Geffner is an award-winning sports journalist and current student at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. A greater Los Angeles native now with countless years of extensive and dedicated experience — including beat reporting, writing, play-by-play broadcast, television anchoring, podcasting and video production — Ben remains eager to contribute as credentialed media covering the LA Sparks.

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