He Who Drafts Best Ends Up in Playoffs
Two teams coming off major turnaround seasons in the West--Los Angeles and Sacramento--and two losing teams from the East--Detroit and Charlotte--launch the WNBA’s postseason Tuesday night with one-game, first-round playoff matchups.
Sacramento (19-13) meets the Sparks (20-12) at the Great Western Forum at 6 p.m., two hours after Charlotte (15-17) plays Detroit (15-17) at The Palace at Auburn Hills, Mich.
The Charlotte-Detroit matchup was determined by tiebreakers because Orlando also finished 15-17 in the East. The only winning team in the East, New York (18-14), meets the Charlotte-Detroit winner in a best-of-three series starting Friday.
Two-time champion Houston (26-6) meets the Monarch-Spark winner in a best-of-three Western finals beginning Thursday. The best-of-three WNBA finals start Sept. 2.
Smart drafting last May by Sacramento’s Sonny Allen and the Sparks’ Orlando Woolridge turned two losers into playoff teams. The Monarchs were 8-22 last summer, the Sparks 12-18.
For Sacramento, the acquisition of ABL star Yolanda Griffith gave Allen a center many figure as the most valuable player favorite. Unhappily for the Monarchs, her season is over. She had an arthroscopic knee procedure last week.
The team’s second pick, guard Kedra Holland-Corn, has blended well in Sacramento’s three-guard offense with Ticha Penicheiro and Ruthie Bolton-Holifield.
Three of Los Angeles’ four picks have been starters. The first choice, forward DeLisha Milton, shoots 53% and is one of the league’s best inside defenders. The third choice, point guard Ukari Figgs, was a starter until an ankle sprain sidelined her for three weeks; now she can’t get her job back from Yugoslav Gordana Grubin. The fourth choice, forward La’Keshia Frett, has been promoted to the starting lineup while becoming the team’s best defender at her position, and the second choice, 6-5 Clarisse Machanguana, spells Lisa Leslie.
Los Angeles’ long bench, Allen said, is his greatest fear.
Woolridge fears the loss of Griffith (18.8 points, 11.3 rebounds) may help Sacramento.
“A lot of times, when a team loses a star player, the remaining players get a better focus and they play harder,” he said.
WBNA Playoffs
Sparks vs Monarchs
Tuesday 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Great Western Forum