Mercury Rally in Second Half to Defeat Sparks in Downtown LA Showdown

On Sunday afternoon in Downtown Los Angeles, two injury-plagued teams took the floor looking to find some rhythm early in the WNBA season. Both the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks came into the contest with battered starting lineups, but it was a tale of two halves—and two standout performances—that shaped the final outcome.

Odyssey Sims channeled her college dominance from her Baylor days, erupting for 23 first-half points and finishing with a season-high 32. Her shot-making and tempo control gave the Sparks early momentum, helping Los Angeles build a comfortable lead heading into the break.

But the game flipped dramatically in the third quarter.

The Mercury came out of halftime with stifling pressure defense, holding the Sparks to just 9 points in the third period. Phoenix seized their first lead of the game at 61-59, thanks to a surge that rattled the home team and turned the tide in favor of the visitors.

In the fourth, Satou Sabally took command, showcasing her versatility and clutch playmaking to lead the Mercury down the stretch. Her second-half takeover helped secure the 85-80 road victory, lifting Phoenix to an impressive 5-2 record.

Meanwhile, the Sparks dropped to 2-6 overall, including a 1-4 mark at Crypto.com Arena. Despite Sims’ heroics, the offensive struggles in the second half and lack of support from the rest of the lineup proved costly.

With both teams navigating early-season adversity, Phoenix showed resilience and depth in closing strong. The Sparks, on the other hand, will need to regroup quickly to avoid slipping further behind in a competitive Western Conference.