LOS ANGELES — Kelsey Plum’s Sparks debut was fitting for a new star on a new stage.
And now the standout guard gets to try to replicate a stellar first game with the Sparks in front of the hometown fans.
Plum scored 37 points and had six assists and five steals in the Sparks’ 84-67 victory at Golden State in their season opener Friday night.
The Sparks delivered the first win for new head coach Lynne Roberts.
“It isn’t really about me,” Roberts said. “It’s about the team and these players. And I’m blessed to be in this opportunity, but I don’t ever want it to be about me.”
Roberts will be tasked with leading the Sparks against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday (3 p.m., ION) at Crypto.com Arena. Minnesota, which made the WNBA Finals last season, opened the season with a 99-84 win Friday at Dallas. Napheesa Collier had 34 points and veteran point guard Courtney Williams had 25 points and nine assists.
Minnesota won three of four games against the Sparks last season, but the Sparks did not have Plum in their backcourt.
She went 11 of 19 from the field against the Valkyries, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, and made all 11 of her free-throw attempts in playing all 40 minutes.
“The mentality for me (Friday night) was to come out and have fun,” Plum said. “I love basketball. I love to play basketball. I love to compete and we just have a great group.”
Plum became the first player in WNBA history to have at least 35 points, five assists and five steals in a game. Her 37 points are the new high for a player in the their debut with a WNBA team, eclipsing’s Candace Parker 34-point debut as a Sparks rookie in 2008.
“The floor was super spaced (Friday night), which allowed me to get downhill,” Plum said. “Just trying to get out in transition and do what I do best, which is play with pace.”
All five Sparks starters – guards Plum and Odyssey Sims, forwards Rickea Jackson and Dearica Hamby and center Azurá Stevens – played at least 31 minutes.
The team’s first unit scored 82 of the team’s 84 points, including Hamby’s double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jackson had 13 points and five rebounds. Stevens had 11 points, five rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots.
The Sparks held Golden State to seven points in the fourth quarter.
“I think defense wins games and championships,” Stevens said. “It’s been a focus of ours to lock in and get stops, and I’m just trying to bring that every game.”
The Sparks, who entered the game against Golden State with 10 healthy players, left with nine after guard/forward Rae Burrell suffered a right leg injury in the first quarter. Burrell, who was carried off the court, played 41 seconds off the bench.
Sparks forward Cameron Brink and guard Julie Allemand are currently sidelined with knee injuries.
If the Sparks’ roster remains at nine healthy players for an extended period of time, the team could sign a free agent to a temporary hardship contract.
Rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, the No. 9 pick in the draft, played 14 minutes in a reserve role and scored two points. Veteran center Mercedes Russell played 12 minutes, which essentially gave the Sparks a seven-player rotation with Burrell sidelined. Veteran forward Emma Cannon and rookie forward Sania Feagin did not play against Golden State.
HOME OPENER: SPARKS VS. MINNESOTA
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: ION
