Sparks Win Causes Paige Bueckers to Reflect on Emotional WNBA Journey, Career-High
Los Angeles Sparks' star guard Kelsey Plum, who, with her team down by one point on its final possession of Wednesday night's contest against the Wings, converted on a game-winning layup to outlast Dallas, 81-80.
Read more: Sparks' Kelsey Plum, Rickea Jackson Break Records in Win Over Sun
The timely win propelled the Sparks to 17-18 on the season, just one victory shy of reaching .500. Furthermore, L.A. is now 7-0 in its last seven games decided by four points or fewer.
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
After the win, Plum was asked about keys to lasting success as the 2025 regular season winds down and the Sparks still searching for a playoff spot.
"We gotta play some f---ing defense," she said.
Though the comment was made in relation to future goals for the purple and gold to key in on, it came immediately after the Sparks allowed a career-high 44-point effort by Wings' star rookie Paige Bueckers.
Bueckers, a leading candidate for this year's Rookie of the Year Award, commented on her overall success as a rookie in the WNBA folloiwing Dallas' defeat.
“People have gotten to see the struggle, the injuries, the times where I couldn’t play … For me to have [this] story and people to continue to believe in me, it means a lot," she said.
Read more: Sparks' Cameron Brink Reacts to WNBA All-Star Snubs
Paige Bueckers on scoring a career-high 44 points, and her overall success as a rookie in the WNBA:
— Ben Geffner (@BenGeffner) August 21, 2025
“People have gotten to see the struggle, the injuries, the times where I couldn’t play … For me to have [this] story and people to continue to believe in me, it means a lot.” pic.twitter.com/ZtRDg0mImI
After letting Bueckers and the Wings race out to a 9-0 start on Wednesday, the Sparks made an improved effort through the latter three frames to limit Dallas' red-hot offense.
An offensive masterclass by Plum, Rickea Jackson and others contributed to a balanced home scoring attack at Crypto.com Arena. With L.A. in dangerous territory late, Plum provided the exclamation point.
The Sparks look to build recent momentum next Tuesday, when they host the Phoenix Mercury.
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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