After 406 days, Cameron Brink made her a lot awaited return for the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. In her first motion since tearing her ACL on June 18, 2024 in opposition to the Connecticut Sun, Brink completed the night time with 5 factors and three rebounds with one block, help and steal in 13 minutes in an 89-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
And though the loss snapped snapped their five-game profitable streak, the Sparks are in a significantly better place with Brink again within the lineup. At 6-foot-4, her size makes her a harmful shot blocker and an elite defender whereas her capturing skills make her a flexible participant who may assist the Sparks of their struggle for a spot within the playoffs.
Brink got here off the bench and was on a minutes restriction on Tuesday however was fast to remind everybody why she was thought of one of many league’s high rookies final season. The No. 2 decide within the 2024 WNBA Draft, Brink was averaging 7.5 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a pair of.3 blocks earlier than injuring her knee.
Brink makes early assertion
Brink checked into the sport with 2:39 remaining within the first quarter and the gang at Crypto.com Area welcomed her again with a standing ovation.
If she was nervous, it did not actually present as a result of she got here out with loads of power. In lower than 20 seconds on the court docket, she pulled down an offensive rebound and had an help on a Rickea Jackson layup.
Just a few possessions later, Brink hit a 3-pointer that acquired the gang much more hyped.
Brink continues to be an enforcer
Brink solely performed 15 video games throughout her rookie season. Throughout that point she averaged 2.3 blocks per sport, which might have been second greatest within the league behind A’ja Wilson had she performed sufficient video games to qualify.
She had a complete of 35 blocks on the time of her damage, which ended up being the Thirteenth-most within the WNBA although she did not even play half a season.
Brink confirmed the defensive abilities that made her a star at Stanford when she checked again into the sport within the third quarter and blocked a layup try by NaLyssa Smith.
Brink’s presence within the paint is actually impactful, however she will ease again into the rotation since Azura Stevens and Dearica Hamby have been taking part in a few of their greatest basketball. Whereas she continues to get extra minutes and work her means again to the beginning lineup, Brink will assist the depth of the staff.
“I feel she goes to proceed to simply assist us a ton, particularly defensively,” Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said. “We have been simply horrid tonight. I feel it will be nice and she or he is somebody that’s going to get higher sport by sport.”
Sparks have practical expectations after lengthy absence
It isn’t straightforward to come back again after being off the court docket for 13 months, however Brink was extra comfy on the market than Sparks coach Lynne Roberts anticipated.
“I believed she did a great job. To be trustworthy, she was extra comfy on the market than I anticipated her to be simply due to how lengthy she has been out and coming in midseason is difficult,” Roberts said. “I believed she did a great job. She was lively. I want to observe [the film] again however I believed she did a great job.”
Earlier than the sport, Roberts talked to Brink to ensure she did not put an excessive amount of stress on herself.
“I informed her that she must benefit from the second,” Roberts said pregame. “Twelve months in the past she was doing leg extensions with no weights. It is a arduous damage to come back again from mentally and bodily. And she or he has executed it with a smile on her face. After all there are arduous moments, I’ve seen loads of these. I am simply so completely happy for her, pleased with her. The expectation for her is to get on the market and benefit from the second. Let the sport come to her just a little bit.”
Tuesday’s loss dropped the Sparks to 11-15 on the season, which places them in tenth place within the league standings — two spots away from making the playoffs. In the meantime, the Aces will not be as dominant as they’ve been in recent times however they improved to 14-13 and are at the moment seventh within the standings.