Sparks’ Kelsey Plum Gets Brutally Honest After Paige Bueckers’ Historic Night
Dallas Wings' star guard Paige Bueckers poured in a career-high 44 points on 81 percent shooting Wednesday night. The stellar performance cemented the reigning No. 1 overall draft pick as the first WNBA player this season to reach the 40-point mark and the most points by a rookie in league history.
Read more: Sparks’ Kelsey Plum Makes Major Announcement
However, despite Buecker's success, the Wings' night was spoiled by Sparks' star guard Kelsey Plum, who, with Los Angeles down by one point on its final possession of the game, banked in a game-winning floater to outlast Dallas, 81-80.
Following a buzzer-beater ending to Sparks vs Wings, here’s Kelsey Plum on allowing Paige Bueckers to score 44 points:
— Ben Geffner (@BenGeffner) August 21, 2025
“We gotta play some f—-ing defense.” pic.twitter.com/3fO3jzJRJm
In an on-court interview immediately following the game, Plum was asked about matching up against Bueckers on the star rookie's career night, as well as keys to success as the 2025 regular season winds down — with the Sparks still searching for a playoff spot.
Plum's response was simple and honest.
"We gotta play some f---ing defense," she said.
🚨KELSEY PLUM GAME-WINNER 🚨
— LA Sports Report (@LA_SportsReport) August 21, 2025
Madness in LA. Plum spoils Paige Bueckers’ career-high 44 point game. Sparks win, 81-80.pic.twitter.com/rxVuD2pmy2
Bueckers led Dallas to an early 9-0 lead through the game's opening minutes, pouring in six of its first nine points — one of which came on a turnaround jumper over Plum — en route to her eventual 44-point total. Bueckers managed to log eight points, two rebounds and one assist in just eight first-quarter minutes.
Read more: Sparks Guard Surpasses Major Career Milestone Against Lynx
Despite the early road dominance, Plum and the Sparks rallied throughout the remainder of Wednesday's back-and-forth contest to seal the timely home win.
More Sparks news:
A'ja Wilson Speaks Out on Losing Kelsey Plum to Sparks
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.
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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