{"id":700846,"date":"2026-06-13T02:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T02:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/700846\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T02:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T02:04:09","slug":"mercury-lug-struggling-offense-home-to-face-sparks-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/700846\/","title":{"rendered":"Mercury lug struggling offense home to face Sparks – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Phoenix Mercury return home after a road-heavy start to face the Los Angeles Sparks in a Commissioner\u2019s Cup game on Saturday.<\/p>\n

But regardless of where the Mercury are playing, coach Nate Tibbetts wants to see more out of his team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a step backwards tonight,\u201d he said Thursday after an 85-70 loss at Dallas, \u201cas far as just our approach and our togetherness and what it takes to win in this league.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all have to be locked in and be ready to play, especially on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mercury won the first two on their four-game, 11-day trip, but lost the last two to fall to 2-8 since May 19.<\/p>\n

Phoenix (4-10, 2-3 Commissioner\u2019s Cup), which already has played a league-high-tying nine road games, opens a three-game homestand against the Sparks.<\/p>\n

The Mercury rank 13th in the 15-team league in points per game (80.8) and field-goal accuracy (41.5%) and have yet to find a way to counter the loss of free agent Satou Sabally, who averaged a team-high 16.3 points when the Mercury made the WNBA Finals a year ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to string more consistently positive possessions,\u201d said reserve guard Lexi Held, who led the Mercury with 17 points at Dallas.<\/p>\n

When the Sparks and Mercury met earlier this season, Los Angeles forward Dearica Hamby logged season highs with 27 points and 15 rebounds in the Sparks\u2019 97-88 victory on May 21 in Phoenix.<\/p>\n

That started the Sparks\u2019 first winning streak this season. They pushed their current streak to two wins on Wednesday night as 10-time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike tormented her former team with a season-high 24 points and nine rebounds in an 88-83 victory at Seattle.<\/p>\n

Kelsey Plum added 19 points and 11 assists. Her two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining clinched the victory after the Storm\u2019s Natisha Hiedeman missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer.<\/p>\n

\u201cNneka was the MVP of our team tonight,\u201d Plum said. \u201cHer aggressiveness really set the tone for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ogwumike scored seven points in the fourth quarter and she assisted on Erica Wheeler\u2019s 3-pointer with 2:22 remaining for an 84-77 lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s just so poised,\u201d Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t rush, and in those situations when we know we have to score or need to get a great shot up, she doesn\u2019t panic. She always seems to make the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ogwumike passed Rebekkah Brunson for fourth in the WNBA in career rebounding Wednesday. She has 3,363 career boards.<\/p>\n

The Sparks shot 38.7% against Seattle, but earned a 38-35 rebounding edge and turned 13 offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis league is brutal,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSometimes you have to win ugly and gain momentum from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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