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The Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury WNBA game is on Sunday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. ET and will be the first time the two teams face off against each other this season. It will telecast on AZFamily, SportsNet LA and Mercury Live.
It will be a thrilling game involving of the biggest names in the WNBA. The Mercury are on a four-game losing streak, while the Sparks are also coming off a loss (83-73) against the Chicago Sky on Thursday.
Both the Sparks and the Mercury are not in their greatest of form right now. They have played seven and eight games respectively this season and have gone 2-5 and 3-5 respectively.
The upcoming game is their first Commissioner's Cup game and will set the tone for their future matchups.
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Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury: Game Preview
The Sparks have been a bit soft on the defensive end. They usually have a strong start to games, matching their opponents in scoring. However, they fumble in the last two quarters because of their poor defense.
Dearica Hamby is the scoring, rebounding and assists leader for the Sparks averaging 20.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game respectively. A lot will depend on her shoulders in the upcoming matchup.
For the Mercury, they have been a team that has excelled in closing leads, especially in the second half, which could be a decisive factor against the Sparks.
Kahleah Cooper is the scoring leader for the Mercury, averaging 24.2 points per game this season. Natasha Mack leads the rebounds department for Phoenix, while Natasha Cloud tops the assists. The Mercury have more versatility in their roster, unlike the Sparks who look more like a one-player team.
Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury: Starting Lineups
The expected lineup for Sparks is G- Kia Nurse, G- Lexie Brown, F- Dearica Hamby, C- Cameron Brink and F- Rickea Jackson.
The same goes for the Mercury, whose expected lineup is G- Natasha Cloud, G- Kahleah Cooper, G- Diana Taurasi, F- Natasha Mack and F- Sophie Cunnigham.
Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury: Prediction
If the Sparks were a solid team in the second half of games, the odds of them beating Mercury would have been higher. So unless they do something about their defense, the Mercury should get past them.
