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LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 31: Los Angeles Sparks huddle during the game against the Dallas Wings on May 31, 2022 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 31: Los Angeles Sparks huddle during the game against the Dallas Wings on May 31, 2022 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
The competition is at an all-time high as the WNBA regular season enters its final two weeks. The Los Angeles Sparks have returned to the playoff picture with a stunning six-game winning streak following a difficult season of setbacks and injuries. But when they played against their close rivals, the Chicago Sky, on Tuesday night, they encountered a roadblock in their quest for a playoff position.
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The Sparks narrowly lost to the Chicago Sky in a high-stakes matchup, missing an excellent chance to lock in their postseason spot. The Sky won, 76-75, making it a nail-biting game. Furthermore, the tense game came to a halt in the fourth quarter, as a 6?3 champion got hit on the jaw.
A 6?3 champion gets struck on the jaw
The competition for playoff berths is getting fiercer as the WNBA regular season enters its final stretch. The Chicago Sky defeated the Los Angeles Sparks by a razor-thin score of 76-75 in a thrilling matchup that was critical for their playoff hopes. Although both teams gave standout performances in the game, Chicago ultimately won. And this was largely possible due to Kahleah Copper’s clutch efforts.
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Copper, a star performer for the Sky, put up an impressive effort, scoring a total of 22 points. But what really stood out was how she played in those crucial last few seconds. When there was only 6:04 left in the game, Copper fired up her team by scoring eight points, including two crucial field goals in the final 45 seconds.
However, the game came to a halt at 5:53 when Copper got stuck in the jaw by Dearica Hamby.
As Zia Cooke prepared herself to execute a pass to her teammate, Dearica Hamby, the game took an unforeseen twist.
Copper was positioned alongside Cooke when the pass was executed. As Hamby extended her arms to secure the pass, Hamby’s outstretched arm inadvertently struck Copper’s jaw. Hamby even fell to the floor, losing her balance.
The play was then taken into review. Referees scrutinized replays of the incident to evaluate the collision and judge whether there was any malicious intent involved.
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The officials came to a decision after carefully examining the replay. Even though the incident was inadvertent, it qualified as a common foul against Hamby. Evidently, the Sparks are up against overwhelming odds in their quest to clinch a postseason position.
The Los Angeles Sparks may be in trouble
The Sparks were on a much-needed six-game winning streak prior to their most recent loss to Connecticut. The team has faced severe difficulties this season as a result of injuries. On August 29, the team announced that Lexie Brown would miss the rest of the season owing to a non-COVID-related sickness.
MEDICAL UPDATE: Lexie Brown will miss the remainder of the 2023 season with a non-covid illness. https://t.co/MeURrMKICY
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) August 29, 2023
The Sparks, who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot, have overcome the challenges and have managed to preserve a record of 15-20. Chicago has the upper hand in potential tiebreaker scenarios due to the Sky’s 3-1 season series edge against the Sparks, putting further pressure on the Sparks to earn significant victories in the remaining games.
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As the regular season draws to a close, the Sparks are in a crucial position. Do you think they’ll clinch their playoff spot? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by
Edited by
Aayush Kapoor