Plum Snub Backlash
Sparks Coach Lynne Roberts Calls Kelsey Plum’s All-Star Snub 'Ridiculous' Amidst Team Struggles
Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called Kelsey Plum's WNBA All-Star snub "ridiculous" this week, as the star guard continues to miss games with a leg injury. Plum is averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and dishing out 6.4 assists — numbers that rank among the league's best, according to Daily News.
The Sparks have gone 1-5 without Plum and will be short-handed again as she misses her third straight game, per OC Register. The team has lost its last two games by an average of 26 points.
Roberts Fires Back at All-Star Selection Process
Coach Lynne Roberts did not hold back when asked about Plum being left off the All-Star roster. Roberts called the omission flat-out "ridiculous," Press Telegram reported. Plum is a four-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion. Her 2025 numbers make a strong case for inclusion.
Plum is scoring nearly 24 points per game on efficient shooting. She is also setting up teammates at a high rate with 6.4 assists per game. Those are career-best marks across the board, according to Press Enterprise.
Plum's Leg Injury Keeps Sparks Shorthanded Again
Plum will sit out her third straight game due to a leg injury. Los Angeles has struggled badly in her absence. The Sparks are 1-5 without her. That one win stands as a slim bright spot in an otherwise painful stretch, per SB Sun.
The recent losses have not been close. The Sparks dropped their last two games by an average of 26 points. That margin shows just how much the team leans on Plum to stay competitive night to night, according to Daily Breeze.
Sparks Use Downtime to Fix Leaky Defense
With games piling up and losses mounting, the Sparks are using their time between games to retool. The team is going back to basics on defense. Coaches are relearning the team's defensive principles with players from the ground up, per OC Register.
Los Angeles has also added a zone defense as a weapon. A zone defense is a scheme where players guard areas of the court rather than individual opponents. The hope is that these fixes give the Sparks a better chance to win upcoming games while Plum works her way back, according to Daily News.
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