Dixon, Sparks May Be Onto Something
It all started with a wink Friday night in Phoenix.
In a game the Los Angeles Sparks would win in overtime, rookie guard Tamecka Dixon made a three-point shot to start the second half . . . and winked at her coach, Julie Rousseau.
Sunday night, before 8,629 at ARCO Arena, Dixon set the pace in an Spark rout of Sacramento, 84-62.
This time, no time for winks.
Not at the speed with which this rookie from Kansas was playing.
In 31 minutes, Dixon scored 20 points on eight-for-nine shooting from the floor, was three for three from the line, grabbed eight rebounds and had four assists.
She and point guard Penny Toler--on a night Lisa Leslie played only 20 minutes because of foul trouble--set the pace in a game Rousseau foresaw July 16, the day she replaced Linda Sharp as coach.
“This team has a lot of talent and when these players figure out how to play well together, you’re going to see some big-time basketball,” she said that day.
Sunday night, it happened.
And you wonder if this team--losers of five of its last six as recently as Friday--has pivoted and is prepared for a stretch run.
Los Angeles (7-10) has won two in a row on the road and comes home today looking for a Forum sweep of Utah (Wednesday), Houston and Charlotte and a return to .500.
The Sparks not only led from horn-to-horn, they increased the pressure throughout. They shot 47%, Sacramento 29%. Los Angeles had 50 rebounds, the Monarchs 33. All 10 of Rousseau’s players had double-digit minutes, yet Dixon’s 31 were the most.
Los Angeles played briskly--the Sparks outscored Sacramento (5-10) on fast-break points, 21-2.
But Dixon--who runs like an Olympic sprinter--had her fingerprints all over this one. She ran Sacramento into the boards, starting with a graceful, eight-foot running jump shot to give the Sparks a 26-16 lead in the first half.
When she made a three-point shot minutes into the second half, it gave her team a 46-30 lead. From 46-32, in 45 seconds, she scored seven points, boosting the score to 53-33.
Rousseau wasn’t surprised at anything Dixon did.
“She understands now what her role is--to defend, run the floor and attack the basket,” Rousseau said.
“And in addition to doing all of that tonight, she got us eight rebounds.”
Dixon sat, happy and exhausted, in the locker room.
“Yeah, considering this is the pros now, I’d say that’s one of the best games I ever played.”
Added Leslie, who had 14 points: “And remember, she was guarding Ruthie [Bolton-Holifield] tonight too.
“We’ve got chemistry working now. A lot of people wrote us off. Well, just keep watching us.”
It was Bolton-Holifield’s first game after missing five because of a knee strain. The Olympic team shooting guard was six for 21, with Dixon in her face most of the way.
When they last played, Sacramento’s Latasha Byears steered Sacramento to a 78-73 victory with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Sunday night, she wasn’t much of a factor, totaling seven points and seven rebounds.
WNBA Note
Guard Jamila Wideman, the Sparks’ No. 1 pick and the third pick overall, has lost her starting job to Dixon. Sunday’s was Wideman’s third consecutive non-start.