Los Angeles guard Kelsey Plum has zero interest in celebrating statistical band-aids. She did not sugarcoat the Sparks’ historic defensive struggles following an 89-72 victory over the Portland Fire. The fiery All-Star bluntly reminded reporters that the franchise still anchors the worst defensive rating in WNBA history. Analysts are interpreting Plum’s aggressive post-match statements as evidence of unrest in the locker room.

Plum’s exact statement, speaking to reporter Justin Russo, read: “It’s about being a professional. You show up every night, and you do your job. So that’s what we need to do moving forward every night. I get it, you make mistakes and everything, but it’s really more just about pride. I mean, I’m not going to speak for anyone else, but when you have the worst defensive rating of all time in the W, you tell me.”

Reacting to Kelsey Plum’s statement during the Hoops360 Yahoo Sports podcast, WNBA analysts Caroline Fenton and Cassandra Negley seemed to think Plum’s comments might be an indication of something more serious going on behind the scenes. “That seems like something that you don’t just say willy-nilly,” Fenton said.

Negley, on the other hand, was quite blunt in the verdict she gave of the situation. “It tells me that there are issues in the locker room or she has issues with other people on the team,” she said.

Kelsey Plum‘s comments weren’t targeting individuals as she was critiquing team defense. But this is usually unlike Plum, who takes the blame on herself for her team’s shortcomings.

This time, it is completely different, as the Sparks boast the worst defensive rating she referred to was the team’s. Before that game, the Los Angeles Sparks held a defensive rating of 115.6, which mathematically tracked as the worst defensive rating in WNBA history. The 2020 Indiana Fever held the record for the worst defensive rating in a full WNBA season with 114. This season, the Sparks are closely followed by Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, who have ratings of 109.8 and 109.5, respectively.

But then, just as Negley said, Kelsey Plum occupies a leadership role on this Sparks team. And even though they won that Portland Fire game, the team’s performances, specifically their poor defensive performances so far this season while losing six of their first 11 games, do help explain Plum’s frustration.

In fact, with her choice of words, it did seem possible, as Negley suggested, that “There are people on the team maybe not putting in the work that she feels like they should or at least not putting in the effort that she feels like they should.”

Regardless of the exact intent behind Kelsey Plum‘s remarks, they spark a question about accountability within the organization. The Sparks will now have an opportunity to let their performances on the court provide the answer.

Sparks HC Lynne Roberts Proud of Team’s Defensive Effort vs Portland Fire

Interestingly, the Los Angeles Sparks actually turned in their best defensive performance of the season against the Portland Fire. The 72 points they allowed were the fewest they have surrendered in any game all season. They also allowed only 29 points in the entire second half, forced 17 turnovers from the Fire, and held Portland to just 36% shooting from the field.

Speaking in the postgame press conference following the Portland Fire game, head coach Lynne Roberts expressed her satisfaction with the team’s defensive showing.

Her exact words were: “Defensively we did the things we’re supposed to do, and I was proud of the effort. They had 11 O-boards at halftime; they only had three in the second half, which was huge.”

Coach Roberts even went further to specifically praise the efforts of Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike, who were with her during that postgame press conference. “These two held it down, and defensively we were much, much better,” she said.

Perhaps this is the Sparks finally waking up defensively. They will certainly be hoping to replicate that performance in their next game against the Storm.