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Dearica Hamby #5 of the Los Angeles Sparks reacts after a basket during the fourth quarter against the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena on August 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Dearica Hamby and the Los Angeles Sparks are in a tough spot following their loss to the Indiana Fever on Friday night. Despite the frustrations that came from that, the team remains united in their goal.
The matchup went down to the wire as both teams are competing for playoff spots. Even though Los Angeles had a 31-24 lead after the first quarter, they faltered down the stretch as they couldn’t fend off Indiana’s advances, who were without star guard Caitlin Clark.
Hamby reflected on the loss after the game, per reporter David Yapkowitz. She expressed disappointment in the result but emphasized the importance of taking it one game at a time to still have a shot at playoff contention.
“One game at a time. We got Sunday, Washington, we’re trying to split the season series with them,” Hamby said. “We can kind of still control our own destiny, five-and-two and make a shot at this. So turn the page and keep going.”
Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts shared her player’s sentiments. Even after the Fever loss placed the team in a tough spot when it comes to the playoff picture, she is still hopeful in their chances.
“When you’re right there, things are really hard, and we’re right there. I’ve been saying it all season, we have a choice of how we respond,” Roberts said. “We’re not eliminated, and I refuse to buy into that. Does this make it harder? Yeah, but things are hard. This is hard. This league is so good. And you can see, the chunk of fifth through ninth, it’s a logjam.”
“But we’re not going to quit, I promise you that,” Roberts continued. “I trust these guys and they want to win, and they’re upset that we lost. We have a choice. We can emotionally, mentally check out and just kind of go through the motions, or we can dig down. And I know these guys are going to dig down.”
What Lies Ahead For Dearica Hamby, Sparks
GettyDearica Hamby #5 of the Los Angeles Sparks attempts a shot in front of Kelsey Mitchell #0 and Odyssey Sims #1 of the Indiana Fever during a 76-75 Indiana Fever win over the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on August 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
It’s a positive mentality for Dearica Hamby and the Sparks to have this mentality as the regular season winds down.
Hamby has been excellent for the Sparks this season. She is averaging 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game after 37 appearances. She is shooting 57.2% from the field, including 29.2% from beyond the arc, and 62.3% from the free-throw line.
Hamby has been with the Sparks for three seasons, as this year seems to be the team’s best shot at a playoff spot to date. Adding Kelsey Plum last offseason significantly improved their quality of play, which could help them as they approach the final stretch of games.
Los Angeles has a 17-20 record on the season, holding the sixth spot of the Western Conference standings. They are 2.5 games behind the Golden State Valkyries and three games behind the Seattle Storm.
The Sparks will prepare for their next matchup, remaining at home. They host the Washington Mystics on Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. ET.
Richard Pereira Richard Pereira joined Heavy Sports in May 2025 as a Sports Writer. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school’s athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men’s basketball team’s journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist. More about Richard Pereira
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