The 2015 Los Angeles Sparks season was the franchise's 19th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and the first full season under head coach Brian Agler. The season began on June 6, on the road against the Seattle Storm. The Sparks lost that game, and went on to lose all seven of their games in June. Their closest losses were on June 23 and June 26 against the Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun. Both losses were by four points, but the Sun game went into overtime where the Sparks lost 80–76. The Sparks' first win of the season came on June 2 against the San Antonio Stars. The followed the win with a defeat of Tulsa. A five game losing streak followed the two wins. The streak started with an overtime loss against Phoenix. The Sparks ended the streak with a five-point win over Phoenix. The Sparks lost two games and won the final game of July to finish the month 4–7. The Sparks experienced a resurgence in August, winning their first three games of the month, which included an 83–61 victory over Minnesota. They would then lose to Minnesota and Seattle before winning four of their next five games. Their loss during this stretch was against Indiana. They achieved three of their five road wins during the streak. They lost to Tulsa and defeated San Antonio to end the month 8–4. They began September with home defeats of Washington and Tulsa and finished with road losses against Atlanta and Phoenix. The Sparks finished 2–2 in September to finish with a final record of 14–20.
Their 14–20 record earned them the fourth seed in the Western Conference. Therefore, they faced-off against first-seed Minnesota in the first round of the 2015 WNBA playoffs. During the regular season, the teams met four times, with Minnesota winning three match-ups. The first game was in Minnesota and the Sparks lost a close game 67–65. The series returned to Los Angeles, where the Sparks won 81–71 to force a third game. In the final game of the series, back in Minnesota, the Sparks were defeated 91–80 to end their season. Their fourteen total wins were their lowest since 2010, and this was their fourth straight playoff appearance.
Transactions
WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 1 7 Crystal Bradford Central Michigan 2 14 (through Sea.) Cierra Burdick Tennessee 3 31 Andrea Hoover Dayton
Trades/Roster Changes DateTransaction February 11 Signed Erin Phillips February 26 Signed Alana Beard March 18 Signed Jantel Lavender March 23 Signed Temeka Johnson
Roster
Source:
Game log
Preseason
|- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 1 | May 27 | vs. Chicago | W 76–67 | Nneka Ogwumike (15) | Lavender, Ogwumike (10) | Erin Phillips (8) | Mohegan Sun Arena3,947 | 1–0 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 2 | May 28 | @ Connecticut | W 64–57 | Nneka Ogwumike (14) | Jantel Lavender (10) | Erin Phillips (7) | Mohegan Sun Arena4,006 | 2–0
Regular season
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | June 6 | @ Seattle | L 61–86 | Alana Beard (20) | Jantel Lavender (12) | Erin Phillips (5) | KeyArena9,686 | 0–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 2 | June 14 | Seattle | L 54–60 | Jantel Lavender (12) | Jantel Lavender (9) | Erin Phillips (5) | Staples Center12,148 | 0–2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | June 16 | Minnesota | L 52–67 | Jantel Lavender (12) | Jantel Lavender (13) | Temeka Johnson (7) | Staples Center6,968 | 0–3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | June 21 | Connecticut | L 68–76 | Jantel Lavender (17) | Jantel Lavender (10) | Temeka Johnson (10) | Staples Center6,875 | 0–4 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | June 23 | @ Washington | L 80–84 | Jantel Lavender (18) | Jantel Lavender (9) | Temeka Johnson (10) | Capital One Arena7,400 | 0–5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 6 | June 26 | @ Connecticut | L 76–80 (OT) | Jantel Lavender (22) | Jantel Lavender (12) | Temeka Johnson (4) | Mohegan Sun Arena5,542 | 0–6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | June 28 | @ New York | L 70–79 | Kristi Toliver (30) | Nneka Ogwumike (16) | Temeka Johnson (6) | Madison Square Garden8,926 | 0–7
|- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 8 | June 2 | San Antonio | W 86–81 | Nneka Ogwumike (27) | Jantel Lavender (10) | Temeka Johnson (5) | Staples Center6,287 | 1–7 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 9 | June 3 | Tulsa | W 98–95 | Kristi Toliver (43) | Nneka Ogwumike (10) | Kristi Toliver (9) | Staples Center6,358 | 2–7 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 10 | June 5 | Phoenix | L 91–94 (OT) | Nneka Ogwumike (26) | Nneka Ogwumike (19) | Kristi Toliver (8) | Staples Center9,069 | 2–8 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 11 | June 8 | @ San Antonio | L 63–70 | Jantel Lavender (19) | Nneka Ogwumike (13) | Kristi Toliver (7) | Freeman Coliseum3,100 | 2–9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 12 | June 11 | @ Tulsa | L 67–82 | Nneka Ogwumike (22) | Nneka Ogwumike (13) | Kristi Toliver (6) | BOK Center6,144 | 2–10 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 13 | June 15 | @ Seattle | L 61–68 | Nneka Ogwumike (12) | Nneka Ogwumike (7) | Temeka Johnson (6) | KeyArena9,686 | 2–11 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 14 | June 16 | Atlanta | L 72–76 | Jantel Lavender (20) | Jantel Lavender (11) | Kristi Toliver (8) | Staples Center14,510 | 2–12 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 15 | June 21 | Phoenix | W 70–65 | Jantel Lavender (19) | Jantel Lavender (11) | Dabović, Johnson (4) | Staples Center7,146 | 3–12 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 16 | June 22 | New York | L 53–59 | Kristi Toliver (16) | Nneka Ogwumike (8) | Erin Phillips (4) | Staples Center7,354 | 3–13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 17 | June 29 | @ Minnesota | L 76–82 | Jantel Lavender (15) | Jantel Lavender (10) | Candace Parker (9) | Target Center8,913 | 3–14 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 18 | June 31 | @ Chicago | W 88–77 | Candace Parker (31) | Candace Parker (9) | Johnson, Parker (4) | Allstate Arena7,014 | 4–14
|- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 19 | August 2 | @ San Antonio | W 80–78 | Jantel Lavender (20) | Candace Parker (11) | Alana Beard (7) | Freeman Coliseum5,416 | 5–14 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 20 | August 4 | Minnesota | W 83–61 | Candace Parker (18) | Lavender, Parker (13) | Alana Beard (7) | Staples Center8,746 | 6–14 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 21 | August 6 | Tulsa | W 84–57 | Nneka Ogwumike (26) | Candace Parker (12) | Candace Parker (6) | Staples Center8,056 | 7–14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 22 | August 9 | @ Minnesota | L 64–72 | Nneka Ogwumike (18) | Lavender, Parker (8) | Parker, Toliver (6) | Target Center9,021 | 7–15 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 23 | August 11 | Seattle | L 77–85 | Jantel Lavender(22) | Candace Parker (10) | Candace Parker (9) | Staples Center8,068 | 7–16 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 24 | August 16 | Chicago | W 76–64 | Candace Parker (21) | Lavender, Parker (8) | Candace Parker (10) | Staples Center9,053 | 8–16 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 25 | August 18 | Indiana | L 68–79 | Candace Parker (25) | Candace Parker (10) | Candace Parker (6) | Staples Center7,046 | 8–17 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 26 | August 21 | @ Phoenix | W 78–68 | Candace Parker (26) | Jantel Lavender (11) | Lavender, Parker, Toliver (3) | US Airways Center11,237 | 9–17 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 27 | August 23 | @ San Antonio | W 90–59 | Jantel Lavender (22) | Candace Parker (12) | Candace Parker (9) | Freeman Coliseum3,972 | 10–17 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 28 | August 26 | @ Indiana | W 81–79 | Ana Dabović (18) | Candace Parker (10) | Candace Parker (9) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse6,822 | 11–17 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 29 | August 28 | @ Tulsa | L 66–76 | Candace Parker (24) | Candace Parker (11) | Johnson, Parker, Toliver (4) | BOK Center4,776 | 11–18 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 30 | August 30 | San Antonio | W 60–52 | Jantel Lavender (24) | Candace Parker (11) | Ana Dabović (6) | Staples Center19,076 | 12–18
|- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 31 | September 3 | Washington | W 93–91 | Candace Parker (26) | Candace Parker (11) | Candace Parker (6) | Staples Center7,223 | 13–18 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 32 | September 6 | Tulsa | W 92–73 | Candace Parker (33) | Lavender, Ogwumike (9) | Kristi Toliver (6) | Staples Center10,114 | 14–18 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | September 9 | @ Atlanta | L 60–90 | Jantel Lavender (14) | Abdi, Lavender (6) | Ana Dabović (8) | Philips Arena3,856 | 14–19 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 34 | September 11 | @ Phoenix | L 65–70 | Jennifer Hamson (12) | Jennfier Hamson (7) | Ana Dabović (7) | US Airways Center12,296 | 14–20
Playoffs
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | September 18 | @ Minnesota | L 65–67 | Candace Parker (16) | Candace Parker (9) | Candace Parker (4) | Target Center8,333 | 0–1 |- style="background:#bbffbb;" | 2 | September 20 | Minnesota | W 81–71 | Candace Parker (25) | Candace Parker (10) | Ana Dabović (7) | Walter Pyramid3,112 | 1–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | September 22 | @ Minnesota | L 80–91 | Candace Parker (28) | Candace Parker (13) | Ogwumike, Parker (4) | Target Center9,014 | 1–2
Standings
Playoffs
Statistics
Source:
Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Candace Parker 16 16 34.4 48.9% 27.9% 81.5% 10.1 6.3 1.9 1.8 19.4 Jantel Lavender 34 34 33.8 52.5% 33.3% 88.2% 8.3 1.8 0.4 1.2 14.5 Nneka Ogwumike 24 23 32.7 52.5% 8.3% 86.6% 7.0 2.1 1.0 0.5 15.8 Kristi Toliver 28 28 30.9 44.9% 38.4% 90.3% 2.3 3.7 0.8 0.0 12.4 Erin Phillips 12 12 30.9 28.6% 26.7% 85.0% 3.0 3.1 0.9 0.2 6.8 Alana Beard 15 11 24.3 49.0% 18.2% 90.0% 2.9 2.5 1.1 0.5 7.3 Ana Dabović 24 8 22.1 44.6% 33.3% 80.8% 1.6 1.9 0.9 0.0 8.8 Jennifer Lacy 8 4 22.0 40.9% 29.6% — 2.9 0.6 0.3 0.1 5.5 Temeka Johnson 34 11 21.2 32.3% 24.6% 84.1% 2.4 3.6 0.7 — 5.1 Marianna Tolo 28 14 19.0 46.2% 0.0% 80.6% 3.0 1.0 0.3 1.0 4.9 Andrea Hoover 12 1 14.3 31.9% 28.6% 100.0% 1.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 3.8 Farhiya Abdi 18 5 13.2 35.4% 27.3% 57.1% 1.7 0.5 0.4 0.1 3.8 Michelle Snow 2 0 13.0 42.9% — 0.0% 1.5 — — 0.5 3.0 Crystal Bradford 15 1 9.5 27.8% 23.1% 71.4% 1.3 0.5 0.4 0.1 2.7 Jasmine Lister 7 0 9.3 53.3% 80.0% — 1.3 0.6 0.3 — 2.9 Jennifer Hamson 25 2 6.5 55.2% — 27.6% 1.5 0.2 0.2 0.5 1.6 Courtney Clements 25 1 5.0 0.0% 0.0% — 1.0 — — — —
Playoffs Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Candace Parker 3 3 38.3 41.8% 38.9% 84.2% 10.7 4.7 2.3 1.3 23.0 Alana Beard 3 3 35.0 33.3% 0.0% 75.0% 4.3 1.7 1.7 0.7 6.3 Jantel Lavender 3 3 34.3 57.7% 100.0% 60.0% 6.7 1.0 0.7 0.3 11.3 Nneka Ogwumike 3 3 30.7 60.0% — 83.3% 4.3 2.0 1.0 0.3 11.7 Kristi Toliver 3 3 29.7 36.7% 38.5% 75.0% 1.7 3.0 1.0 — 10.0 Ana Dabović 3 0 19.7 50.0% 71.4% 71.4% 1.7 3.7 0.3 — 11.7 Temeka Johnson 3 0 12.3 25.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.0 1.7 0.7 — 1.3
Awards and honors Recipient Award Date awarded Ref. Jantel Lavender All-Star Injury Replacement July 5 Nneka Ogwumike Western Conference Player of the Week July 5 WNBA All-Defensive First Team September 27 Candace Parker Western Conference Player of the Week August 24 September 8 Western Conference Player of the Month – August September 3 All-WNBA Second Team October 8 Ana Dabović WNBA All-Rookie Team September 24
References
External links THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES SPARKS