White Questions Fever's Defensive Discipline Following Narrow Loss To Sparks

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Stephanie White expressed concerns about the Indiana Fever's defensive discipline following their narrow 89-87 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. The defeat marked the second time in nine days that Indiana fell to Los Angeles. Caitlin Clark, last year's Rookie of the Year, missed her fifth consecutive game due to a left groin injury.

Azura Stevens was instrumental for the Sparks, contributing 21 points and securing 12 rebounds. Kelsey Plum also added 20 points, helping Los Angeles improve their record to 6-13. Despite leading by eight points midway through the third quarter, Indiana struggled in the final moments, missing their last five shots.

White was particularly troubled by how her team allowed Los Angeles to seize control late in the game. Rickea Jackson scored the decisive basket with just under a minute remaining. "I think they just put their heads down and started to attack us," White told reporters.

She noted that Los Angeles effectively exploited mismatches when Indiana's smaller guards were switched onto players like Jackson or Stevens. "They did a really good job of recognising when our guards, our small guards, got switched on to," White added.

The Sparks executed their strategies well, particularly with screens and screener actions that Indiana had prepared for over two days. "We weren't very disciplined in that," White admitted. She felt that while Los Angeles let the game flow naturally to them, Indiana seemed pressured.

The Fever will face the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday and hope for Clark's return. During her absence, they have managed a 3-2 record. The team aims to improve its performance with Clark back in action.