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Sparks Fly: The 2012 Season Unveiled

An analytical deep dive into the Los Angeles Sparks' 2012 campaign, from draft day to playoff contention.

Season Overview ๐Ÿ‘‡ Game Schedule ๐Ÿ“…

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Season Overview

Franchise Context

The 2012 season marked the 16th year of the Los Angeles Sparks' participation in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). This season was particularly significant as it represented the inaugural year under the leadership of Head Coach Carol Ross, signaling a new strategic direction for the franchise.

Season Timeline

The team's competitive journey commenced on May 18, 2012, with an away game against the Seattle Storm at KeyArena. The season concluded on September 15, 2012, with a matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. The Sparks achieved a commendable regular season record of 24 wins and 10 losses, securing second place in the Western Conference standings.

Postseason Performance

Following a strong regular season, the Sparks advanced to the postseason. They successfully navigated the Western Conference Semifinals, defeating the San Antonio Silver Stars. However, their playoff run concluded in the Western Conference Finals, where they were ultimately eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx, narrowly missing a chance to compete for the WNBA Championship.

Transactions & Personnel

WNBA Draft Selections

The Sparks made several key acquisitions through the 2012 WNBA Draft, strategically building their roster. Their selections included promising talent aimed at bolstering both immediate performance and future potential.

Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 1 Nneka Ogwumike United States Stanford
2 13 (from Tulsa) Farhiya Abdi Sweden Frisco Sika (Czech Republic)
2 15 (from Chicago) Khadijah Rushdan United States Rutgers
2 16 Tyra White United States Texas A&M
3 28 April Sykes United States Rutgers

Key Transactions

Throughout the season, the Sparks engaged in several strategic player movements, including trades and signings, to optimize their roster composition and address team needs. These transactions were crucial in shaping the team's performance throughout the campaign.

Date Trade Details
February 1, 2012 To Los Angeles Sparks: Marissa Coleman To Washington Mystics: Noelle Quinn
February 23, 2012 To Los Angeles Sparks: Nicky Anosike To Washington Mystics: Natasha Lacy and LaToya Pringle

Personnel Changes

The Sparks saw significant activity in player acquisitions and departures. Key additions included established players like Alana Beard and Nicky Anosike, alongside draft picks. Notable subtractions involved experienced players such as Noelle Quinn, Ticha Penicheiro, and Tina Thompson, indicating a period of roster evolution.

Additions

Player Signed Former team
Marissa Coleman February 1, 2012 Washington Mystics
Alana Beard February 8, 2012 Washington Mystics
Nicky Anosike February 23, 2012 Washington Mystics
Nneka Ogwumike April 16, 2012 Draft pick
April Sykes April 16, 2012 Draft pick

Subtractions

Player Left New team
Noelle Quinn February 1, 2012 Washington Mystics
Ticha Penicheiro February 22, 2012 Chicago Sky
Natasha Lacy February 23, 2012 Washington Mystics
LaToya Pringle February 23, 2012 Washington Mystics
Tina Thompson February 24, 2012 Seattle Storm

Team Roster

Starting Lineup & Bench

The Sparks featured a strong core of players, anchored by star talent like Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike. The roster was strategically assembled with a mix of established veterans and promising newcomers, aiming for a balanced attack and solid defense throughout the season.

Pos. Starter Bench
C Candace Parker Jantel Lavender
PF Nneka Ogwumike Ebony Hoffman
Nicky Anosike
SF Delisha Milton-Jones Marissa Coleman
SG Alana Beard April Sykes
Jenna O'Hea
PG Kristi Toliver

Western Conference Standings

Final Regular Season Placement

The Los Angeles Sparks concluded the regular season with a strong performance, securing second place in the highly competitive Western Conference. This positioning guaranteed them a playoff berth and a favorable seeding for the postseason tournament.

Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Minnesota Lynx z 27 7 .794 โ€“ 16โ€“1 11โ€“6 17โ€“5
Los Angeles Sparks x 24 10 .706 3.0 16โ€“1 8โ€“9 15โ€“7
San Antonio Silver Stars x 21 13 .618 6.0 12โ€“5 9โ€“8 14โ€“8
Seattle Storm x 16 18 .471 11.0 10โ€“7 6โ€“11 11โ€“11
Tulsa Shock o 9 25 .265 18.0 6โ€“11 3โ€“14 5โ€“17
Phoenix Mercury o 7 27 .206 20.0 3โ€“14 4โ€“13 4โ€“18

Game Schedule & Results

Preseason Engagements

The Sparks commenced their 2012 season with preseason matchups designed to evaluate talent and refine team strategy before the official start of the regular season.

Preseason (May)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
1 Sat 5 7:00 China 98โ€“71 Ogwumike (20) Ogwumike (11) 4 players (5) Pasadena City College
1,073
1โ€“0
2 Thu 10 10:30 Japan 95โ€“77 Ogwumike (17) Lavender / Ogwumike (6) Zoll (6) LA Southwest College
950
2โ€“0
3 Sun 13 5:00 @ Seattle 60โ€“61 Coleman (11) Ogwumike (7) Zoll (8) KeyArena
4,628
2โ€“1

Regular Season Progression

The Sparks navigated a demanding regular season schedule, marked by crucial wins and challenging road games. Their performance fluctuated, but they consistently maintained a strong position within the Western Conference.

May (4โ€“1)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
1 Fri 18 10:00 @ Seattle NBATV / KDOC 72โ€“66 Toliver (25) Milton-Jones (7) Toliver (6) KeyArena
9,686
1โ€“0
2 Tue 22 10:30 Seattle KDOC / KONG 74โ€“61 Parker (21) Parker (10) Parker / Toliver (4) Staples Center
9,238
2โ€“0
3 Thu 24 8:00 @ Minnesota 84โ€“92 Parker / Toliver (23) Ogwumike (9) Toliver (4) Target Center
7,923
2โ€“1
4 Sat 26 10:00 @ Phoenix KDOC 99โ€“88 Parker (27) Parker (11) Beard / Toliver (4) US Airways Center
10,200
3โ€“1
5 Tue 29 10:30 Tulsa TWC101 76โ€“75 Milton-Jones / Toliver (16) Parker (10) Toliver (5) Staples Center
8,312
4โ€“1
June (6โ€“5)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
6 Sun 3 8:30 Seattle KDOC / KONG 67โ€“65 Toliver (23) Parker (13) Toliver (7) Staples Center
12,639
5โ€“1
7 Fri 8 11:00 Phoenix TWC101 90โ€“74 Ogwumike (25) Ogwumike (12) Toliver (9) Staples Center
11,198
6โ€“1
8 Wed 13 8:00 @ Connecticut ESPN2 87โ€“81 Parker (33) Parker (16) Parker (8) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,058
7โ€“1
9 Fri 15 7:30 @ Atlanta SSO 59โ€“92 Ogwumike (13) Ogwumike (10) Coleman (4) Philips Arena
8,872
7โ€“2
10 Sat 16 8:00 @ San Antonio KDOC / FS-SW 85โ€“98 (OT) Beard (23) Parker / Lavender (11) Toliver (5) AT&T Center
8,234
7โ€“3
11 Mon 18 10:30 Washington TWC101 101โ€“70 Ogwumike (24) Parker (8) Toliver (6) Staples Center
8,612
8โ€“3
12 Wed 20 10:30 Tulsa TWC101 95โ€“79 Parker (33) Parker (8) Toliver (6) Staples Center
8,388
9โ€“3
13 Sat 23 8:00 @ Phoenix ESPN 93โ€“84 Toliver (29) Lavender (9) Toliver (4) US Airways Center
9,670
10โ€“3
14 Sun 24 8:30 San Antonio KDOC 71โ€“91 Parker (15) Parker (15) Beard (4) Staples Center
11,301
10โ€“4
15 Tue 26 8:00 @ Tulsa 75โ€“91 Toliver (21) Ogwumike / Lavender (7) Toliver (7) BOK Center
4,102
10โ€“5
16 Thu 28 12:30 @ San Antonio FS-SW 80โ€“94 Parker (25) Parker (13) Beard (10) AT&T Center
15,184
10โ€“6
July (5โ€“0)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
Summer Olympic break
17 Thu 5 3:00 Minnesota NBATV / TWC101 96โ€“90 Toliver (29) Parker (13) Toliver (6) Staples Center
11,256
11โ€“6
18 Sat 7 10:00 Seattle ESPN2 83โ€“59 Toliver (23) Parker (14) Parker (7) Staples Center
12,229
12โ€“6
19 Sun 8 8:30 Atlanta NBATV / KDOC 79โ€“63 Toliver (19) Parker (12) Beard (7) Staples Center
11,019
13โ€“6
20 Tue 10 3:30 @ Phoenix 90โ€“71 Parker (22) Ogwumike / Parker (14) Beard (7) US Airways Center
9,336
14โ€“6
21 Thu 12 7:00 @ Indiana ESPN2 77โ€“74 Ogwumike (22) Ogwumike (20) Toliver (4) Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7,244
15โ€“6
August (4โ€“1)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
Summer Olympic break
22 Sat 18 10:00 @ Seattle NBATV / KDOC 82โ€“71 Toliver (22) Parker (12) Toliver (5) KeyArena
9,127
16โ€“6
23 Tue 21 10:30 Indiana TWC101 79โ€“69 Toliver (21) Ogwumike (10) Beard / Milton-Jones (5) Staples Center
8,402
17โ€“6
24 Thu 23 10:30 San Antonio TWC101 101โ€“77 Toliver (29) Parker (10) Parker / Toliver (6) Staples Center
8,696
18โ€“6
25 Sat 25 10:30 New York NBATV / TWC101 87โ€“62 Toliver (29) Ogwumike (7) Ogwumike (5) Staples Center
12,433
19โ€“6
26 Thu 30 8:00 @ Tulsa 85โ€“99 Toliver (21) Milton-Jones (7) Toliver (8) BOK Center
5,275
19โ€“7
September (5โ€“3)
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Record
27 Sun 2 6:00 @ Chicago KDOC / CN100 74โ€“85 Toliver (19) Parker (9) Ogwumike (6) Allstate Arena
6,197
19โ€“8
28 Tue 4 8:00 @ Minnesota NBATV 77โ€“88 Beard (17) Lavender (8) Toliver (6) Target Center
8,123
19โ€“9
29 Fri 7 7:00 @ Washington CSN-MA 96โ€“68 Parker / Toliver (18) Parker (9) Parker (8) Verizon Center
7,468
20โ€“9
30 Sun 9 4:00 @ New York KDOC / MSG 71โ€“73 Toliver (17) Parker (15) Toliver (4) Prudential Center
7,357
20โ€“10
31 Thu 13 10:30 Chicago NBATV / TWC101 / CN100 86โ€“77 Ogwumike (30) Ogwumike (11) Parker (5) Staples Center
8,489
21โ€“10
32 Fri 14 11:00 Connecticut NBATV / TWC101 / CPTV-S 93โ€“82 Parker (23) Parker (10) Toliver (6) Staples Center
10,503
22โ€“10
33 Tue 18 10:30 Phoenix NBATV / TWC101 101โ€“76 Parker (26) Parker (11) Parker (7) Staples Center
8,579
23โ€“10
34 Thu 20 10:30 Minnesota NBATV / TWC101 92โ€“76 Ogwumike / Parker (22) Ogwumike / Parker (11) Toliver (8) Staples Center
10,217
24โ€“10

Postseason Battles

The Sparks entered the postseason as the second seed in the Western Conference, facing tough competition. Their playoff journey showcased resilience and high-level play against formidable opponents.

Western Conference Semifinals
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Series
1 September 27 10:00 San Antonio ESPN2 93โ€“86 Toliver (29) Parker (9) Beard (3) Galen Center
5,013
1โ€“0
2 September 29 3:00 @ San Antonio NBATV 101โ€“94 Parker (32) Parker (9) Parker (6) Freeman Coliseum
5,293
2โ€“0
Western Conference Finals
Game Date Time (ET) Opponent TV Score High Points High Rebounds High Assists Location/Attendance Series
1 October 4 8:00 @ Minnesota ESPN2 77โ€“94 Parker (25) Parker (11) Parker (4) Target Center
8,513
0โ€“1
2 October 7 3:30 Minnesota ABC 79โ€“80 Parker (33) Parker (15) Beard (7) Staples Center
10,791
0โ€“2

Player Statistics

Statistical Breakdown

The following tables provide a detailed statistical overview of the Los Angeles Sparks' performance during the 2012 season. Key metrics include games played (GP), games started (GS), minutes per game (MPG), shooting percentages (FG%, 3P%, FT%), and per-game averages for rebounds (RPG), assists (APG), steals (SPG), blocks (BPG), and points (PPG).

Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG Rebounds per game
APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per game
FG% Field-goal percentage 3P% 3-point field-goal percentage FT% Free-throw percentage TO Turnovers per game
PF Fouls per game Team leader League leader

The following table details the regular season statistics for individual players:

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards & Honors

Recognition and Accolades

The provided source material indicates that the section detailing specific awards and honors received by players or the team during the 2012 season is currently empty. Further details would typically be found in official team records or sports archives.

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the 2012 Los Angeles Sparks season Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not professional sports analysis or advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional sports commentary, statistical analysis, or team management consultation. Always refer to official WNBA sources and consult with qualified sports professionals for specific insights.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.