{"id":797890,"date":"2026-08-01T18:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T18:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/797890\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T18:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T18:55:12","slug":"losing-streaks-collide-as-sparks-visit-fire-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/797890\/","title":{"rendered":"Losing streaks collide as Sparks visit Fire – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two squads looking to stop losing streaks meet on Sunday when the Portland Fire host the Los Angeles Sparks.<\/p>\n

Portland (11-18) dropped its fourth straight game Friday with a 112-98 setback against Indiana, a sour note to kick off the Fire\u2019s five-game homestand.<\/p>\n

Bridget Carleton scored 26 points on 7-for-11 shooting from 3-point range, and Portland hit 14 of 31 buckets from beyond the arc as a team, but the Fire\u2019s ongoing defensive struggles proved insurmountable.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s loss marked the third time in Portland\u2019s current skid that it surrendered more than 100 points, and fourth straight giving up at least 98.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s solvable,\u201d Carleton said after Friday\u2019s contest. \u201cOne-hundred and twelve points is a lot, and most came off of our turnovers.\u201d<\/p>\n

With 20 turnovers committed against the Fever, the Fire are averaging 14.7 giveaways a game. Only Washington is allowing more with 15.6 turnovers per game.<\/p>\n

As a result, Portland is allowing 91.6 points per game, more than all but two teams: Toronto at 93.6 and Los Angeles with 94.1.<\/p>\n

The Sparks (10-17) owe much of their six-game slump to defensive woes. Los Angeles gave up 113 points its last time out in a four-point home loss to New York on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Despite shooting a blistering 16-for-31 from 3-point territory, including Erica Wheeler\u2019s 4-for-5 effort, the Sparks allowed the Liberty to shoot 53.1% from deep (17-for-32).<\/p>\n

Tuesday\u2019s offensive surge did give a Los Angeles team that has been without Kelsey Plum throughout the skid some optimism, however.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo moral victories, but \u2026 our pace was great. Execution was probably the best we\u2019ve had in a long time,\u201d head coach Lynne Roberts said.<\/p>\n

The Sparks\u2019 109 points marked a season high in regulation and were evenly distributed among six double-digit scorers. Rae Burrell finished with 24, Wheeler had 17 and Ariel Atkins posted 16 to provide much-needed perimeter punch to complement Nneka Ogwumike (21) and Dearica Hamby (12).<\/p>\n

Cameron Brink also added 11 points off the bench, her third game in double figures in the last five.<\/p>\n

As the Sparks have had to adjust without Plum, rumors swirled this week that the guard is a trade candidate.<\/p>\n

\u201cProfessional sports (are) business,\u201d Plum said to reporters at Thursday\u2019s practice. \u201cPeople have to do what\u2019s best for them, and I respect that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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