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Sparks finally have their pieces in place

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The Sparks finally had their entire roster at practice on Tuesday — two games into the season.

With veteran players trickling in from overseas last minute and a huge chunk of the training-camp roster being cut at the league’s Friday deadline, the Sparks tried to use last weekend’s back-to-back road games to adjust to one another, a new coach and a new system.

It didn’t go as planned.

The Sparks opened their season 0-2 for the first time since 1997, falling to the Phoenix Mercury, 78-77, and the Seattle Storm, 81-67.

Candace Parker said the team needs to work on its chemistry, which takes time. But in a 34-game regular season, the sand can fall down the hourglass at warp speed.

“Some teams take the whole year to figure it out, and never do,” Parker said. “Some teams take a couple of days.”

The Sparks have two more practices before they play the Silver Stars in San Antonio on Saturday.

“Hopefully,” Tina Thompson said, “it’s something we’ll do quickly.”

Is it time to panic?

Parker is not overly concerned, pointing out that even excellent teams lose two games in a row. If the Sparks had two wins under their belt, she said, she wouldn’t be overly optimistic either.

“If we were 2-0, everyone would be like, ‘Oh my gosh they’re going to win a championship,’ ” Parker said. “I’d still be like, ‘No, we have a lot of work to do.’ ”

She pointed to her first season in the WNBA in 2008, when the Sparks opened with a 7-1 record, then struggled down the stretch, losing 11 of their last 21 games and almost missing the playoffs.

“It’s not how you start,” Parker said. “It’s how you finish.”

Injuries and jetlag

Thompson, who’s played 13 seasons in the league, said jetlag could be taking a bigger toll on some of the players than they might have realized.

“It’s not something you’re conscious of,” she said. “If you get a couple of days to relax and get over it, you can. But if you’re coming straight into something else, it could take weeks.”

The Sparks are also dealing with injuries. Marie Ferdinand-Harris was sidelined against the Storm because of a knee injury and Ticha Penicheiro played only a combined 31 minutes in the two games because of Achilles’ tendon problems.

“We had a rookie point guard in the game,” Thompson said, referring to the team’s top 2010 draft pick, Andrea Riley. “Although she’s doing a great job, she was probably put in a position she wasn’t ready for.”

Centering Candace

Jennifer Gillom, in her first season as coach of the Sparks, acknowledged that she lacks a true center and has started Parker there in the two games.

Gillom says she told Parker to concentrate on being creative down low, and advised her to beat adversaries with finesse since she lacks sheer bulk.

“It’s a huge adjustment for her,” Gillom said. “She’s lost over 20 pounds since having a baby and probably doesn’t feel as strong in the post as she did last year.”

But Gillom also said she doesn’t think a traditional center is necessary in the WNBA.

“The Phoenix Mercury won the championship last year without a true center,” she said.

While Gillom has described her system as fast-paced rather than brute strength, Thompson said it’s about reacting to the defense.

“It’s a pretty free system, actually,” Thompson said. “Coach looks at matchups and we attack their defense.

“There’s a method to our madness.”

melissa.rohlin@latimes.com

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