Image Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Sparks vs Liberty: Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum Combine 44 Points to Guide Los Angeles to Remarkable Win Over New York

The Sparks recorded their fifth win in a row!

Image Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum combined for 44 points to guide the Los Angeles Sparks to a remarkable 101-99 victory over the New York Liberty. The win pushed the Sparks’ tally in the 2025 WNBA season to 11-14. Apart from them, Azura Stevens and Dearica Hamby dropped 17 points apiece while Rae Burrell came up with 12 points, two rebounds, and one assist.

Rickea started & ended the game on fire. 🔥

24 PTS | 4-6 3PT | 9-15 FG pic.twitter.com/LxKaZENcmc
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) July 27, 2025

For the Liberty, Sabrina Ionescu came up with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Natasha Cloud dropped 22 points, three rebounds, and nine assists. In addition, Jonquel Jones tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, whereas Lionie Fiebich chipped in 10 points, three rebounds, and one assist. The reigning champions faced an early setback as Breanna Stewart was forced to exit less than four minutes into the first quarter due to a lower leg injury.

Jackson’s Buzzer Beater Guides Sparks to Fifth Win in a Row

Rickea Jackson came up with a buzzer-beater to lead the Sparks to their biggest victory of the season, marking their fifth win in a row. When the game was tied at 99 with five seconds remaining on the clock, Jackson engaged in a layup through contact at the buzzer to register the win. Jackson, who tallied 24 points, scored 17 points in the first quarter, the most she has scored in any quarter of her career.

Game winner ✔️
Player of the Game ✔️

🏰 @Disneyland pic.twitter.com/qtdOOfuAt1
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) July 27, 2025

She was shooting 60.0% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc. Jackson, combined with Plum, had six 3-pointers for LA. The opening quarter ended with LA leading the Liberty at 35-20. In the second quarter, Ionescu opened with a three-pointer and scored another four points for her side. The trio of Jackson, Plum, and Hamby scored in double digits and helped the team get a 13-point lead at halftime.

RICKEA JACKSON FOR THE WIN!!! @iamthathooper x @WNBA pic.twitter.com/5PBWX8XHuT
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) July 27, 2025

The second half started in favor of the defending champions, and they were able to cut the lead to single digits. However, the Sparks managed to stay up as they entered the final frame with a 74-69 lead. They continued their dominance in the final quarter, and with 5.9 seconds remaining on the clock, Jackson threw up an acrobatic shot to eventually win the game.

Los Angeles Sparks

New York Liberty

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.