LOS ANGELES – Kelsey Plum walked to the bench after fouling out during the Los Angeles Sparks’ 89-81 overtime loss to the Golden State Valkyries, and following the game, the refs and the officiating was clearly on her mind. As the Sparks continue to search for consistency, it was clear they still have kinks to work out.
Plum shot a total of six free-throws during the game, with three of them coming off when she was fouled shooting a three-pointer and another one coming off a technical foul shot. She earned a trip to the line only once throughout the rest of the game amid her aggressiveness offensively.
During the Sparks’ postgame press conference, Kelsey Plum made sure to voice her frustration with the refs and what she believes has been inconsistent officiating throughout the season so far.
“I’m gonna get fined for saying this, but I drive more than anyone in the league, so to shoot six free-throws is f**king absurd. I got scratches on my face, I got scratches on my body and these guards on the other team get these ticky-tack fouls and I’m sick of it,” Plum said. “I get fouled like that every possession. . .I don’t know what else to do. It’s really frustrating though. . .there’s multiple shots at the end of the game, into the third, into the fourth where they’re just coming in just f**king swinging and they just don’t call anything.”
“I don’t understand how that’s six free throws playing 40 minutes and touching the paint almost every play. It’s absurd, it’s absurd,” Plum continued. “I’ll get fined for that, and that’s fine. I needed to make more shots late game. But they’re fouling the s**t out of me every single play. So I’m very frustrated with that, and I’m sick of it. I’m sick of it. I don’t know what I need to do. I talk to the refs nicely, I pray before the game. . I’m over it.”
Plum finished the game with 24 points, four rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 41 minutes before fouling out during the overtime period. She shot 7-of-20 from the field and 4-of-8 from the three-point line. She made a few big plays to help the Sparks keep pace with the Valkyries late in the fourth quarter, and ultimately get into overtime.
During the postgame press conference, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts defended her star player, echoing Plum’s sentiments on the way she’s been officiated this season.
“When you think about it, it’s not right. She does attack, and obviously the scouting report is to be as physical as you can with her and it’s being allowed,” Roberts said. “So we’ve got to talk to the league about that. But it isn’t right. . .maybe I’ll get fined too, that’d be fun, but it’s fine. I think she’s too good, and you watch some of the other stars in the league, they don’t get fouled like that without going to the free-throw line.”
The Sparks will hit the road for two games, against the Las Vegas Aces and the Minnesota Lynx, respectively. The last time the Sparks visited the Aces, it was Plum’s first return as an opponent to the franchise that drafted her.
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