Even before the season officially tipped off, head coach Lynne Roberts established that the Sparks’ goal this year was to make the playoffs and end their franchise-long four-year postseason drought.

Entering Tuesday’s contest in Phoenix with two regular-season games remaining, L.A.‘s playoff hopes were still alive, but just barely. The scenario was simple: the Sparks needed to win their final two games and the Storm needed to lose their final game — played simultaneously with LA’s contest — for Los Angeles to secure the No. 8 seed.

The Sparks held up their end of the bargain, beating the Mercury 87-83. But Seattle ended L.A.’s postseason aspirations, defeating the Valkyries 83-82.

It was bad enough to be eliminated, but for Sparks fans, the way things transpired on Tuesday was a particu

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