The late-night WNBA action on CBS Sports Network continues on Friday with a matchup between two Western Conference foes, the Los Angeles Sparks and the Seattle Storm.

Entering the contest on a two-game losing streak, the Sparks are back to .500 on the season at 4-4. They got Candace Parker back for their last game against the Washington Mystics, but were still crushed at home. It's been an up and down season for the Sparks, and that will only continue as they try to adjust to Parker's return.

As for the Storm, they're still without many of their key players. Breanna Stewart, of course, is out for the season, while Sue Bird may miss the entire campaign as well due to knee surgery. Now, they're also without Jordin Canada, who suffered a bone bruise on her knee. Still, they keep battling and enter this contest at 5-4, good for fourth place in the league. 

How to watch Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle Storm

Storylines

Sparks: This Sparks team has all sorts of talent, but putting it together has been a struggle. For the first month or so of the season, they dealt with major injuries and absences, as well as a new head coach trying to adjust to the WNBA game. Now, it seems that Candace Parker's long-awaited return has only complicated things. Derek Fisher rolled out a jumbo lineup with Parker and both Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike against the Mystics, and it was a disaster. They turned the ball over 11 times in their 15 minutes on the floor together, and put up a shocking offensive rating of 46.7. Perhaps they'll figure things out with more reps, but the initial returns suggest that scoring will be a problem with those three playing together. 

Storm: The Storm were already quite shorthanded entering the season without Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, and now their new starting point guard, Jordin Canada, has also gone down injured. She suffered a bone bruise on her knee against the Mystics, and though reports have been few and far between on her status, she missed their last outing against the Sun. The Storm lost that game, but they showed the same competitiveness we've seen from them all season long. They may not have enough firepower to consistently win against the elite teams in the league, but they're going to make those teams work every single night. Natasha Howard and Jewell Loyd is still a pretty tough 1-2 punch to contain. 

Game prediction, pick

The Storm are super shorthanded, but the Sparks looked like a complete mess in their last game, and even though they're at home this feels like a toss-up. I don't fully trust the Sparks, but they are more talented and at home, so I'll go with them to win a close one.

Pick: Sparks 77, Storm 72