LOS ANGELES \u2014 With eight games left in the regular season, the 17-19 Sparks need to win more games than they lose over the final two weeks if they want a realistic chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s postseason outlook is not yet dire, but Friday\u2019s game at Crypto.com Arena against the Indiana Fever will likely to prove to be pivotal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a must-win for us so we have to go in with that intensity,\u201d Sparks second-year forward Cameron Brink said. \u201cI think if we play with joy and a sense of urgency, it will come out our way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said her team is preparing to play the Fever without Caitlin Clark, who has not played since July 15 and has missed 16 straight games with a right groin injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have not planned for her playing, but we have in the past so we have those game plans ready,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n
The Sparks, who are coming off a 92-84 loss<\/a> at home to the Phoenix Mercury, are 3-0 against the Fever this season. Clark, who averages 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists, did not play in any of the matchups.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a big game,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big game for them. I think both teams are fighting for their playoff life and I\u2019m sure both teams are saying we gotta have this one. We\u2019ve had some success playing them. We already have the tiebreaker but we need the win.\u201d<\/p>\n A win helps the Sparks inch close to a .500 record for the first time since the second game of the season in mid-May.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the mindset for us right is its a must have,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSo we have to compete, show up, prepare with that urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n Sparks coach Lynne Roberts on the team\u2019s \u2018must-have\u2019 game against the Indiana Fever Friday night.<\/p>\n After Thursday\u2019s practice Coach Roberts said she did not expect Caitlin Clark to play but if Clark\u2019s game status changes, the Sparks will have a game plan ready. pic.twitter.com\/2FLs6xY2lY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) August 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The Sparks, who have win six of their past 10 games, are in ninth place and 1.5 games behind Seattle for the eighth and final playoff spot.<\/p>\n \u201cI think at this point in the season everyone is feeling like every game is a must-win just for playoff seeding,\u201d said All-Star guard Kelsey Plum, who leads the Sparks with 20.4 points and 5.9 assists.<\/p>\n Brink said Plum has personally impacted and aided in her 13-month recovery from a season-ending torn ACL injury.<\/p>\n \u201cKelsey is amazing,\u201d Brink said. She\u2019s one of a kind and I think her leadership and her intensity has really shift the whole organization. We\u2019re thankful for her every day, her work ethic. What she does on and off the court is amazing and she\u2019s been huge for me in building my confidence in coming back and I think she really makes me feel seen in that, so she\u2019s really important to me and the whole team for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameron Brink on the Sparks must-win game against the Indiana Fever Friday. <\/p>\n Brink, who shared a personal assessment of her first 11 games back after returning from an ACL injury, said if the Sparks plays with joy and a sense of urgency, the game will come out the their way. pic.twitter.com\/cbphDq0Z7t<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) August 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Plum said she expects Brink, who is averaging 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots in her first 11 games back, to keep making her proud.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you come off a major injury, it\u2019s difficult and especially midway through the season just to be able to come and give us energy. And every game I think she\u2019s getting better and better, so I\u2019m very proud of her,\u201d Plum added.<\/p>\n Fever All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 20.7 points. All-Star forward Aliyah Boston is averaging 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The Fever are coming off a 95-75 win at home against the Seattle on Tuesday.<\/p>\n FEVER (20-18) AT SPARKS (17-19)<\/p>\n When: 7 p.m. Friday<\/p>\n Where:\u00a0Crypto.com Arena<\/p>\n TV: ION<\/p>\n Kelsey Plum on the LA Sparks must-win game against the Indiana Fever. <\/p>\n Plum also discussed the team\u2019s game plan against Kelsey Mitchell and Aaliyah Boston and how Cameron Brink has been getting better every game since returning from a 13-month ACL rehabilitation and recovery. pic.twitter.com\/7ufN3KsWnL<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) August 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t