Sparks Take the Good With Bad
The Sparks keep getting better and their attendance keeps dropping.
That theme continued Tuesday night at the Great Western Forum, where before a season-low crowd of 5,079 the Sparks easily won their fourth consecutive game, 81-60, against the Orlando Miracle.
Los Angeles (14-6) came into the game ranked 10th in attendance in the 12-team league and will fall far short of a goal of a 10,000 home average.
The Sparks’ Forum average dropped to 7,055 Tuesday.
But Coach Orlando Woolridge’s team is arguably the league’s hottest.
The Sparks have won 10 of their last 12, are 8-2 at home and Tuesday night gained a full game on third-place Sacramento (13-8) in the Western Conference race, with the Monarchs losing to Minnesota.
Houston has a league-best 17-4 record.
Lisa Leslie and Gordana Grubin (four for five on three-pointers) combined for 35 points to lead the Sparks offensively, but all accolades afterward went to La’Keshia Frett who registered a defensive gem--holding Orlando’s Nykesha Sales scoreless.
When the Sparks played at Orlando (9-11) earlier this season, Sales sizzled. She made five of eight three-pointers and had 29 points in an 88-86 Miracle victory.
Not this time. Frett, a 6-foot-2 ABL veteran from Georgia, stuffed the former UConn All-American. Sales was 0 for 8 from the field. She entered the game with a 14.5-point average.
“Sales is a great scorer, but she likes to do just two things, shoot the three from behind a screen or drive to the basket,” Frett said.
“I just tried to stay close, keep a forearm on her, just to maintain contact, to keep her from going around me.”
Michael Cooper, a Spark assistant who spends most of his time with the defense, called Frett’s work textbook quality.
“She did what you’re supposed to do with a great scorer, keep her from doing what she wants to do,” he said.
“La’Keshia’s not the quickest player on the team, but she does know how to use all her gifts--like her size--to full advantage.”
Woolridge, however, saluted all of his defenders.
“This was great team defense tonight,” he said. “When we play together like that at the defensive end, we tend to be much better.”
The Sparks ran off to a 5-0 lead, stretched it to 43-26 at halftime and never let Orlando mount a challenge.
They forced 21 Miracle turnovers, outrebounded Orlando, 37-28, and limited the losers to 38% shooting while shooting 43% themselves.
Leslie led the way again, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Other Games
Sheryl Swoopes recorded the WNBA’s first triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists as the Houston Comets (17-4) returned home to rout the Detroit Shock (10-10), 85-46, before 11,105. . . . Tonya Edwards made two free throws with 14.3 seconds to give the Minnesota Lynx (11-8) a 61-59 victory over the Monarchs (13-8) before 5,262 at Sacramento. . . . Edna Campbell scored 18 of her 21 points in the second half as the Phoenix Mercury (9-11) finally pulled away for an 86-73 victory over the visiting Utah Starzz (7-13) before 11,990. Meanwhile, Cheryl Miller, coach and general manager of the Mercury, signed a three-year contract extension worth between $225,000 and $350,000 a year, according to the Arizona Republic.