Los Angeles receives concerning Kelsey Plum news after another loss

The Los Angeles Sparks entered the season believing they finally had the pieces to end a playoff drought that has stretched nearly six years. Right now, however, they have a much more immediate concern.

They still don't know when Kelsey Plum will be back. Following Tuesday night's 79-69 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts provided an update on Plum's status that left plenty of uncertainty surrounding one of the WNBA's hottest starts to the season.

While Plum avoided a serious injury after suffering an ankle sprain in practice, Los Angeles still has no timetable for her return. For a team that has now lost two straight games and fallen to 4-5 on the season, that's not the update fans were hoping to hear.

Sparks still waiting on Kelsey Plum

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Roberts explained that Plum remains day-to-day as she continues recovering from the ankle injury that has sidelined her for the past three games. The coach sounded encouraged by Plum's progress but admitted there is still no clear target date for her return.

"She's day-to-day, we don't know when she'll be back," Roberts said.

The Sparks coach then offered a glimpse into Plum's competitive mindset.

"But if I know anything, she'll be back as soon as she's been given any sort of—I don't know if it has to be green in her mind—just some sort of greenish light and she'll be back."

That's encouraging from a long-term perspective. The immediate reality, though, is that Los Angeles is trying to navigate an important stretch of the season without its best player.

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The Sparks have felt Plum's absence

The timing of the injury couldn't be much worse. Los Angeles has dropped consecutive games since Plum went down, including Tuesday's defeat against a talented Las Vegas squad led by reigning MVP A'ja Wilson.

Wilson dominated the matchup with 25 points and 15 rebounds, helping the Aces control the game throughout much of the night. The Sparks fought hard behind Rae Burrell, who scored a team-high 22 points, but they lacked the offensive firepower that Plum routinely provides.

That's understandable considering how well she was playing before the injury.

Kelsey Plum was putting together an MVP-caliber start

Few players across the WNBA were playing better basketball than Plum before her injury. The four-time All-Star was averaging a career-high 26.8 points and 6.3 assists per game while carrying much of Los Angeles' offensive load.

Every night, she looked capable of taking over games. Every defense was building its game plan around stopping her. Her production was a major reason why optimism around the Sparks had grown so quickly during the opening weeks of the season.

Now, the organization is left waiting for the green light that Roberts referenced.

A critical stretch ahead

The Sparks will continue their homestand with upcoming games against the Dallas Wings and Portland Fire. Those contests could prove important as Los Angeles tries to stay in the playoff picture during Plum's absence.

The good news is that Roberts indicated the injury is not considered serious. The concerning part is that nobody seems willing to put a timeline on her return.

And after another loss pushed the Sparks below .500, that uncertainty is becoming one of the biggest storylines surrounding the franchise.

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