Hot-shooting Sparks visit faltering Dream

Looking to extend their hot-shooting stretch, the visiting Los Angeles Sparks begin a four-game road trip Monday against the Atlanta Dream in College Park, Ga.

Los Angeles (10-11) has eclipsed the 100-point mark in back-to-back games, most recently drilling 14 3-pointers in a 102-87 victory over the Chicago Sky on Friday. Amid an inconsistent first half of the regular season, the Sparks appear to be finding their rhythm ahead of their first meeting with Atlanta.

"People are getting more secure and confident in their roles," Los Angeles head coach Lynne Roberts said. "As I've always said, shot-making is a direct relation to shot quality. How do you create great shots? You have to move. The ball has got to move. We're taking good shots, and we've got to continue to hunt those."

The Sparks have played without leading scorer Kelsey Plum (23.9 points per game) since she suffered a lower leg injury June 21. Nneka Ogwumike has assumed the leading role, averaging 16.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest, while Dearica Hamby has added 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Los Angeles parted ways with general manager Raegan Pebley on Sunday. The team said assistant GMs Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will share duties in the interim.

Atlanta (13-10) will aim to salvage a four-game homestand Monday and try to turn its season back around. The Dream have lost six of their last seven and were recently dealt another blow, as Angel Reese (15 points, 11.7 rebounds per game) missed the team's 102-92 loss to the Portland Fire on Saturday with a leg injury.

Following a franchise-best 30-win campaign last season, second-year head coach Karl Smesko's group is facing as much adversity as it did in all of 2025.

"I don't even remember losing two games in a row last year," Smesko said. "We never had to really dig deep, look at ourselves and figure out what we needed to do. This year is different, but this could help us get to where we need to get if we approach it the right way."

Allisha Gray's 18.7 ppg lead the Dream, while Rhyne Howard adds 18.5 points per contest.

--Field Level Media