LOS ANGELES — Azurá Stevens was hot early and scored 14 of her 21 points in the first quarter, but the Sparks — who only played seven players — suffered a 89-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in their home opener at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.

“We need to get healthy,” Sparks first-year coach Lynne Roberts said. “We don’t have a lot of depth there. It’s not like I’m choosing to not play Rickea (Jackson) in the second (half), she was hurt.

“I would love to put Rae (Burrell) in. She’s on crutches. We get Julie Allemand back soon, that will help but again we’re figuring things out in terms of rotations and all stuff. We will keep evaluating that but I would really love to play more players.”

The Sparks (1-1) trailed 46-45 at halftime but only scored 30 points in the second half.

“I think they just ratcheted up their pressure and we all kind of took a step back,” Stevens said. “We have to find a way to just fight through that when teams pressure us.”

Dearica Hamby had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Sparks, who lost their first home game under Roberts.

“It was me and Z (Sunday),” Hamby said. “The next game it would probably be someone else.”

The Sparks trailed 70-62 heading into the fourth quarter and were outscored by a 19-13 margin in the final 10 minutes. They shot 40% from the field on 24-of-60 shooting, including 9 of 26 from beyond the arc.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum scored 18 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field (3 of 9 from 3-point range) and fouled out with 3:32 left. Plum added a team-high five assists.

The Sparks entered the game down to nine active players, including starters Odyssey Sims, Plum, Jackson and Hamby and Stevens, who scored 69 of the team’s 75 points. Jackson left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to her face.

Rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker and veteran center Mercedes Russell were the first two and only reserves to enter the game. Barker, the team’s only backup guard, scored six points in 24 minutes off the bench.

“We’re a little bit thin in the guard line, but (Barker) did a good job,” Roberts explained. “She’s just fearless and she also does what is required.”

Veteran forward Emma Cannon and rookie forward Sania Feagin did not play for the second straight game.

Minnesota, which reached the WNBA Finals last season, was led by forward Napheesa Collier with 12 of her 23 points in the first quarter. Center Alanna Smith scored 15 points. Guard Courtney Williams had 13 points and 10 assists. Reserve center Jessica Shepard added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

“We know who we are,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said pregame. “We know our identity. We know that every single time we play a basketball game that we’re expecting greatness. It doesn’t mean we have to do extraordinary things. We’re a team that wants to do the little things extremely well.”

The Lynx (2-0) began the game on an 8-1 run. However, Stevens drained her third corner 3-pointer, which put her team up 17-14 with 4:31 left in the first quarter.

Stevens finished the first with 14 points on 5 of 5 shooting from the field, 3 of 3 beyond the arc, but trailed 30-25 heading into the second quarter.

“Teams are going to sag in when we have people attacking downhill and we can just kick it out and be confident from three so that’s what I’m trying to do,” Stevens said.

Plum’s 3-pointer put the Sparks up 32-30 with 7:24 left in the second quarter. However, the Sparks trailed 46-45 at halftime. The Sparks’ starters scored 44 of the team’s 45 points in the first half.

Minnesota began the second half on a 9-2 run, establishing a 55-47 lead with 7:15 left in the third quarter. They outscored the Sparks by a 24-17 margin in the third and led 70-62 heading into the fourth quarter.

“I want us to compete,” Roberts said before the game. “You can’t let someone come in and play harder than you on your home court and expect to win, when they’re already expected to win. But it’s early in the season. We’re focused on ourselves ... I’m really focused on getting our players a little bit better every time.”

Burrell, the organization’s 2022 first-round draft pick and key reserve backcourt/wing player, missed the game with a right leg injury that she suffered in Friday’s season-opening win against Golden State. The team said she is expected to make a full recovery but will be out six to eight weeks.

Cameron Brink and Allemand are also currently sidelined with knee injuries. Roberts said Allemand could return soon but did not provide a specific timetable. Brink’s ACL injury will be evaluated in mid-June.