Shock routs Sparks in rematch

Not many teams can pull off an upset on the same night they raise a championship banner.

That is what the Detroit Shock managed Monday.

Detroit was missing three of its top four post players and was only two days removed from a 20-point loss in Los Angeles, but the Shock bounced back to rout the Sparks, 81-52.

“The differences in this game were energy and pride,” Detroit Coach Bill Laimbeer said. “I felt like we had something to prove tonight, and we did that.”

The Sparks had won 78-58 on Saturday at Staples Center but trailed by as many as 28 points in the first half of the rematch.

“They did a great job,” the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie said. “They outplayed us for the entire game.”

The Shock received its championship rings before the game and raised the third banner in franchise history.

“I think we all got a lot of energy from the ring ceremony,” said Deanna Nolan, who led Detroit with 27 points.

“We were angry after the way we played out there, and we fixed a lot of those things tonight.”

Three key players were in street clothes for the ceremony: Cheryl Ford (knee), Plenette Pierson (shoulder) and Kara Braxton (suspension). Detroit signed second-round pick Britany Miller as an emergency roster replacement so that it could dress the league-minimum nine players.

Tina Thompson had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Sparks, but they weren’t able to take advantage of the Shock’s lack of post players.