With the first weekend of WNBA action in the books, the Sparks were able to beat the Valkyries but struggled against the Lynx.

Sparks basketball is back, and things began with just as much good as bad.

On the plus side, they won their season opener against the Golden State Valkyries as Kelsey Plum had a historic debut, scoring 37 points in front of a sold-out crowd.

On the negative side, they lost their home opener against the Lynx and seemed to lack the toughness needed to beat one of the WNBA’s best teams.

The Sparks are also already dealing with a long list of injuries. Rae Burell hurt her right leg in the first game of the season, and while she avoided a serious injury, she’ll be out for six to eight weeks.

In the team’s second game, Rickea Jackson collided with Alanna Smith, exited the game and never returned. Her status for this week is still very much up in the air.

Cameron Brink is still sidelined recovering from her ACL tear and Julie Allemand is also on the bench with a knee injury.

With potentially four players out to start this week’s slate of games, the Sparks have signed Liatu King to a hardship contract.

It’s unreal that the Sparks have so many players out already, but those are the breaks. Still, the Sparks managed to split their pair of games this week, and plenty of players stood out.

So, let’s grade this week’s performances. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Kelsey Plum

37 minutes, 27.5 points, 2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3 steals, 16-33 FG, 7-15 3PT, 16-18 FT, +0

Plum took center stage in Los Angeles and shone under that spotlight. Not only did she score 37 in the team’s win over the Valkyries, but she also played in all 40 minutes.

That’s obviously not a sustainable plan, but it was impressive that she could play at that level for the entire game. Currently, Plum is leading the team in minutes played, points scored and assists. She has helped dramatically improve the play of the Sparks’ backcourt.

Grade: A+

Dearica Hamby

35.3 minutes, 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 12-23 FG, 1-3 3PT, 9-13 FT, +6

Hamby is as consistent as a clock. She logs double-doubles virtually every game and is as reliable a contributor as there is.

With Plum feeding her the ball, their chemistry will continue to grow and Hamby will have a chance to maximize her talent.

Grade: B

Rickea Jackson

29.1 minutes, 10.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 9-26 FG, 3-9 3PT, +6

Jackson remains an aggressive scorer, always looking for her shot. The efficiency still isn’t there, as she shot 34% from the field. But few can get to the basket quite like her.

If her three ball comes to life, she could become one of the best scorers in the WNBA. Hopefully, her injury isn’t too serious and she will return quickly.

Grade: B

Azurá Stevens

33.3 minutes, 16. points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 3.0 steals, 1.5 blocks, 11-19 FG, 4-9 3PT, 6-7 FT, -3

Stevens was automatic from deep against the Lynx. She went 4-7 from 3-point range and scored 21 points. Last season, she only scored more than 20 points in one game.

If she can shoot that well from deep and continue finding her way to the free throw line, Stevens could be set up for a career year, especially now that she is entrenched in the starting lineup.

Grade: B+

Odyssey Sims

32.7 minutes, 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 3-15 FG, 0-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, +10

Sims struggled to make an impact in the first two games this season. She got the looks she wanted, but they didn’t go in. Last season, she was one of the few guards who could create for themselves, so hopefully she finds her way soon. This team is too shorthanded to have someone underperform and have that player logging 30-plus minutes.

Grade: C-

Sarah Ashlee Barker

19.0 minutes, 4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 2-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, 3-4 FT, -7

Despite being a rookie, Barker has had to take on more than was expected due to the injuries. So far, she’s handled the workload well. She plays respectable defense, fights for rebounds and was a solid scoring threat.

Until reinforcements come, she’ll have an opportunity to show what she’s got.

Grade: B-

Mercedes Russell

13.2 minutes, 1.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 0-1 FG, +5

If there were any good Russell minutes, I must’ve missed them. Even under limited play and few options, this can’t be one of them if this is the best she can provide.

Grade: D-

Rae Burrell

Burrell got hurt during her first minute of play, so she will not be graded.

Lynne Roberts

Being 1-1 after two games isn’t bad for Roberts and the Sparks. So far, the biggest issue was playing Plum for too long and giving Russell the minutes she got. Besides that, the team is playing up to potential, and the Roberts era has gotten off to a solid start.

Grade: B

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.