Sparks wither and lose in OT
The Sparks found themselves in an unenviable position Thursday night against the Washington Mystics, leading by double digits in the fourth quarter.
The Sparks, who blew double-digit fourth-quarter leads this month in an overtime victory at Chicago and a loss to Phoenix in its home debut, fell apart down the stretch once again, this time losing to the Mystics in overtime, 77-74, at Staples Center.
“We apologize to you all for the lackluster effort tonight,” Sparks center Lisa Leslie told the crowd of 8,144 following the game. “We’re going to correct this and, next game, you’re going to see a different Sparks team.”
The Sparks led by 14 points with 6 minutes 49 seconds remaining in the game, but then withered, particularly in the final 33 seconds, when they let a seven-point lead slip away.
During that span, the Sparks gave the Mystics life by committing consecutive turnovers off inbound passes under the Washington basket, allowing Coco Miller to tie the score at 74-74 on a three-point shot from the baseline with 5.6 seconds remaining.
The Sparks then went scoreless in the five-minute overtime.
Monique Currie gave the Mystics a 77-74 lead with a three-point basket with 1:38 left in overtime, and that was all they needed to knock off the Sparks (10-4).
“I think it was just a lack of effort,” Sparks guard Temeka Johnson said. “There’s no way we should be playing the way we have been playing.”
Before the latest fourth-quarter collapse, the Sparks seemed to be headed for a three-game lead in the Western Conference.
Their familiarity with the Mystics showed.
Sparks starters DeLisha Milton-Jones and Kiesha Brown played for the Mystics in recent years, as did Johnson and fellow reserve Murriel Page. Sparks assistant Marianne Stanley was also Washington’s head coach in 2002-03.
Together, they helped the Sparks to a fast start against the Mystics, leaving Candace Parker and Leslie to take over in the next two quarters.
Shortly before the start of the season, Milton-Jones was traded from the Mystics to the Sparks, in exchange for Taj McWilliams-Franklin. Two years ago, Johnson and Page made the same journey. Brown spent 2002 to 2005 with the Mystics, two of those under Stanley, who was voted WNBA coach of the year in 2002.
Milton-Jones made four of her first five shots against Washington and scored nine points in the opening quarter, Brown made a three-point basket during that span and Johnson scored four points, helping the Sparks to a 30-22 lead.
Milton-Jones finished with nine points after failing to score after the opening quarter. Johnson matched her season high with 10 points and delivered a season-high seven assists, and Brown contributed five points.
Parker led the Sparks with 17 points, and Leslie had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
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