Sparks score plenty of points, give up a ton to fall to Liberty

Defensive anchor Brink has to exit game before halftime with apparent ankle injury.

- BY IRA GORAWARA

KELSEY PLUM drives to the basket between the Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu, left, and Marine Johannes during the Sparks' loss on Tuesday at Crypto.​com Arena.

Almost hidden in a mocha pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt, and wearing the same fire-red Air Jordans from his Aug. 4 return to Los Angeles, Clippers royalty Chris Paul adorned the Sparks' bench.

And though the 20-year veteran barely lifted a palm — leaving the cheering to his wife and daughter — Paul's court savvy still seemed to seep across the hardwood, finding its way to the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum.

Plum, who can very well be the tale of any Sparks game, but “chooses to win,” as coach Lynne Roberts says, seemed to be scoring and assisting at will through a coast-to-coast battle against the New York Liberty, a tug-of-war that stayed taut until the rope finally slipped from the Sparks’ grasp, 105-97.

‘The Sparks’ stalwart finished with 26 points alongside five rebounds and five assists.

“It came down to them scoring 105 points,” Plum said, “like, 97 is a lot of points.”