L.A. Sparks Eliminated From Playoffs With 82-65 Loss To San Antonio Silver Stars

The Los Angeles Sparks' 82-65 loss to the San Antonio Silver Stars was a terrible way to be eliminated from the playoffs on multiple levels.

There's really not a whole lot more to say about that team than the emotion that was on their faces as their playoff hopes evaporated on their home floor.

But the story of the game was Becky Hammon's thrilling 37-point performance.

Donald Barnat of Sports Page Magazine notes that Hammon's fourth quarter performance was the difference in eliminating the Sparks from playoff contention.

...the Silver Stars go-to player, guard Becky Hammon, who had already scored 20 points, exploded for 17 more in the fourth quarter and in doing so slammed shut the door on any remaining playoff hopes of the 2011 Sparks.

In the end San Antonio would win not-so-coincidently by Hammon’s 17, 82-65.

With the win, the Silver Stars clinched a playoff spot, completing the Western Conference playoff field, with seeding still not entirely certain with the season ending Sunday, September 11.

For more on the playoff implications - and the various seeding possibilities - visit SBN Seattle's WNBA playoff race storystream.