Indiana Fever fans heard it when the franchise said, “our road games sound like home games,” and it shows. After the red Fever jerseys filled the TD Garden when the team played the Connecticut Sun, a huge crowd turned out at the Crypto.com Arena, sporting Indiana blue. The fans swarming Caitlin Clark and the many clips of her interactions would hardly give away the home team colors. But the Sparks weren’t letting the opportunity slip. Not when Kelsey Plum goes by one strong belief. 

The Sparks were 2-0 against Indiana Fever entering the game on Tuesday night. And with the resurgence they had set on since early July, winning 5 of their last 6 games, Plum & co. looked every bit poised to take away that series. And well, they did, and in a dominant fashion. Plum and Rickea Jackson put up 25 piece performances each, while Cameron Brink recorded game-changing 5 blocks and Azura Stevens went 5-for-5 from the three. Indiana’s defense proved to be no match for the charged Sparks.

And just like that, the home team announced it was their turf, no matter what jerseys filled the stands near opponents’ bench. So you know that victory tasted sweet and a reporter couldn’t go by without posing the question: “What does it mean to win at home court with so many visiting fans?” Well, giving the history with Clark, the Sparks guard chose to tread cautiously.

“Yeah, I mean I learned my lesson about talking in press conferences,” she admitted. That, of course, seemed like a reference to her infamous All-Star game press conference.

Speaking to the press regarding the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts, she had said, “Not to tattletale, but zero members of ‘Team Clark’ were very present for that.” There was a ton on backlash following the comments. Plum had to even come out and clarify she was just lightening up the mood, up the damage was already done. So this time, that was as much she was letting out. Plum dwag, instead, went on to reveal what the win really meant. 

“I think honestly, Bill Laimbeer taught me a lesson when I first started playing for him and it was like, if you win your home games, you will be in the playoffs,” she revealed. This lesson is one to be remembered for the rest of the season. As of now, they have a better road record (9-6) than at home (4-9). With 9 more home games to go, including a 4-game home stretch, the Los Angeles Sparks should target to win them all to solidify their playoff prospects.

Kelsey Plum Shines as the Los Angeles Sparks Breaks the Indiana Fever’s Streak

Kelsey Plum has fit into the Los Angeles Sparks like a glove. While it is normal for a player to take some time to adjust to a new team and surroundings, the 2x champion broke a record in her debut game for the Sparks. On the opening night, she scored 37 points. The record was set Napheesa Collier with 34 only hours earlier. 

Although the team struggled for the first half of the season, the tides have turned in the last month. Sitting just a game away from the playoff spot, and Cameron Brink back from injury, things are looking much better. In last night’s clash between two of the league’s hottest teams, the Sparks handed the Fever a 100-91 loss. In the process, Plum tied Caitlin Clark for a rare record. 

Her 25-point and 11-assist performance had her joining the 2024 ROTY as the only two players with 5 consecutive 20+ points and 6+ assists performances. It only strengthened the Sparks’ case for the playoffs, but also broke the Fever’s 3-game winning streak on the road.

Next up for the Los Angeles Sparks is a match-up against the Connecticut Sun. On paper, this should be an easy win for the Sparks, but nothing is certain. However, a win would go a long way, given they face the Golden State Valkyries next, who are just one spot up in the standings.