The Los Angeles Sparks return home to the Crypto.com Arena Tuesday night to face the Fever, the first of a stretch of 8 games back in the city. That kind of schedule is typically music to a team’s ears, (who doesn’t love to be back home?), but the Sparks are facing a problem of their own making: the team has a 3-9 record when playing in LA.<\/p>\n
That record prompted a reaction from Lynne Roberts, who told reporters Monday<\/a> she isn’t willing to buy into the idea that the team can’t pull off more home wins. Roberts pointed to factors that can influence home games \u2014\u00a0 including “family coming into town” and people who “want to hang out with you” \u2014 as reasons that might contribute to the Sparks’ lackluster success at home, but those factors aren’t unique to LA, and they don’t really account for why the team tends to struggle.<\/p>\n “I think on the road, you\u2019re able to have a routine and there\u2019s just not those distractions. And those aren\u2019t bad distractions,” Roberts also said.<\/p>\n Cameron Brink might be the …spark… the team needs<\/p>\n But if ever there’s a moment in time to figure it out in real time, this stretch of games just might be it. The Sparks welcomed Cameron Brink back to the fold in late July, something that has “energized us” Roberts also said. That energy will be necessary to take on an Indiana Fever team that’s on a hot streak right now and absolutely firing on all cylinders, even as Caitlin Clark continues to be sidelined with an injury.<\/p>\n The Fever “really get out and run” Roberts added, before citing Aari McDonald as a player<\/a> who is impressive. “She\u2019s just done a tremendous job there. So her and Kelsey Mitchell put a lot of pressure on the defense,” Roberts said.<\/p>\n