Coming off their best win of the season in Minnesota on Thursday, the Sparks didn’t have much of that same energy to start their first home game since the trade deadline.

The fourth quarter, though, looked a lot like the best basketball they’ve played all season.

The Sparks came out flat and gave up 29 first-quarter points from the Golden State Valkyries in an 84-78 loss Sunday, their eighth in the last 10 games. They made it a game in the fourth with a 16-5 run but were too far back and it took just a couple of Valkyries shots to put the game out of reach.

“I think today was kind of more of a mind over matter type of day,” Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said. “I don’t want to use the schedule as an excuse as pros, like I’ve been doing this a long time. There’s always a point in the season when the schedule gets like this, and so I think today was a bit more mind over matter, and it took us a little bit of time to kind of get into the game.

“I am happy that we didn’t just acquiesce to the results of the first quarter. So, yeah, you really just kind of have to get that focus and lock in.”

An Ariel Atkins three-pointer with 2:18 left got the Sparks within one point, then after it was matched by Golden State, a three from Erica Wheeler made it a one-point contest again with 1:38 to go.

Ogwumike missed what would have been a tying shot with 52 seconds left before the Valkyries made it a two-possession score to close it out.

Wheeler missed two three-point attempts with less than 30 seconds left. She finished with 15 points while Ogwumike finished with a team-high 16 points.

There are 13 games left in the season and the Sparks are six games back of Dallas for the eighth and final WNBA playoff seed, giving them an uphill climb to get back in the postseason conversation.

On Sunday, the Sparks (12-19) committed five early turnovers and struggled to defend the perimeter against the shot-happy Valkyries, trailing 29-15 after one quarter.

After getting back within nine, the Sparks were down 45-32 at halftime following three consecutive buckets from Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes.

Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, right, reacts after being fouled by Golden State center Kiah Stokes in the first half Sunday.

(Harry How / Getty Images)

Cameron Brink hit a three-pointer to get back within 12 with 7:27 left in the fourth. The Sparks outscored Golden State 31-20 overall in the fourth to get back within four with less than four minutes to play.

“We made adjustments to try to space the floor out a little bit more,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “I think we were on top of each other. I think we needed to start to play this higher. We did that, and we activated Nneka too, as well. I think in the beginning, she barely touched the ball, or the shots weren’t going in. We got her shots, and once Nneka’s going, and Dearica [Hamby]’s going, the game is a little different.”

Brink, who had seven points, seven rebounds and two steals, got into foul trouble in the third quarter, going into the fourth with four. Rae Burrell, who had scored in double figures in every game since July 22, didn’t score until the fourth quarter and finished with nine points.

“Against Golden State, you’re going to have a hard time attacking from the wings,” Roberts said. “You got to do it from the middle. Their defense is really on point.”

The Valkyries capitalized with 18 points off the Sparks’ 11 turnovers.

Kiana Williams scored 10 points, her most since she joined the team from Phoenix in June off of a developmental deal.

“Thank goodness she was there in the first quarter, because I don’t know how many we would have scored,” Roberts said. “But I respect that she hasn’t played in the last couple games, and she came in and was fearless and ready to go.”

The Sparks have not beaten Golden State (23-9) since a 84-67 victory on May 16, 2025, the first game in Valkyries franchise history.

On Sunday, the Valkyries were led by 15 points from Cecilia Zandalasini, who shot five for five from three-point range.

After she scored seven points against Minnesota, newly acquired guard Monique Akoa Makani missed Sunday’s game with a right ankle injury she sustained in the final minute against the Lynx.

The Sparks will host Phoenix (12-22) in Kelsey Plum’s return to L.A. on Tuesday at USC’s Galen Center.

“We fought like hell out there,” Wheeler said. “Golden State is a great team. They play great defense. So for us to be able to execute down the stretch in the fourth quarter ... that’s not easy to do.”