A long week for the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces ended with their first regular-season home defeat since last year, and their first loss to the Los Angeles Sparks since Aug. 1, 2019.
The Sparks, battling for a playoff spot, defied the odds Saturday with their 78-72 victory against the first-place Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. It ended the Aces’ 21-game home winning streak, the Spark’ 13-game losing streak to the Aces, and was the largest upset victory in the WNBA since 2020.
It was also the first time in league history a team with a losing record — the Sparks are now 13-18 — won on the road against an opponent with a .900 or better winning percentage (minimum 10 games played), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Aces are now 28-4, their winning percentage dropping to .875 with the loss.
“When we needed to make a play, there was composure, there was determination,” Sparks coach Curt Miller said. “There was a physicality that we matched. Our defense has really, really come around since May and June. Our…
