Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) and coach Lynn Roberts react against the Washington Mystics in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sparks Coach Sends A Message After Loss: ‘It’s Never Over Until It’s Over’

Originally posted on Los Angeles Sparks on SI
By Ben Geffner | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 3:33 PM ET

The Los Angeles Sparks entered this week's back-to-back road contests against the Atlanta Dream just one game back of .500. However, the purple and gold instead left with two straight losses — falling 86-75 on Wednesday and 104-85 on Friday, respectively.

Following Friday's defeat, Sparks' assistant coach Mike Neighbors made a statement on L.A.'s mindset closing out the 2025 regular season — attempting to move on from the loss while keeping the purple and gold in playoff contention.

Back in front of our home crowd on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/cCKQBQKYLG
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) September 6, 2025

"“[We have] a great locker room in there. They'll rally around one another, they've done it repeatedly throughout the year. We've battled a lot of adversity from Day One with injuries, and we've stuck together. [There is] never a doubt that this group will find a way," Neighbors said. "We got plenty of time on that plane. I've witnessed it all year long. They come together. They battle through.

"We got three games left. We knew we had a tough stretch. We had more games than anybody to play, and we had very little rest to do it," he added. "You see how these guys do fight. It's not that we're trying to implore them to keep fighting, it’s just to encourage and [help them] remember. We've had so many come-from-behind wins… it's never over ’til it's over with this group."

L.A., who enters Sunday sporting a 19-22 record and the No. 9 seed, continues to battle with the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm for the coveted final two postseason spots left.

Still on the outside looking in, the Sparks must win their final three games — beginning tonight against the Dallas Wings at Crypto.com Arena — and for one of the Storm and Fever to lose the remainder of their contests for L.A. to make the playoffs.