Sparks Find Enough Energy to Stop Mystics
Michael Cooper didn’t get the 40 minutes of intense defense he has become accustomed to, but who can fault his Sparks, who despite faltering in the final 10 minutes on tired legs, still bagged their franchise-record 11th consecutive victory Thursday night, 79-70, over Washington at the Great Western Forum.
The Sparks (15-2) thoroughly shackled the Washington Mystics’ tandem of Chamique Holdsclaw and Nikki McCray for 30 minutes, but the price for winning at Sacramento 24 hours earlier was apparent late in the game.
Washington (8-8), playing with three days rest and trying to avenge the Sparks’ last-second win at Washington on June 26, couldn’t do much with the Sparks’ tenacious defense for most of the game and seemed headed for a one-sided loss.
Holdsclaw and McCray, ranked among the WNBA’s top 10 scorers, each had four points at halftime. And neither hit double-digit points until McCray made two free throws with 10:38 left and the Sparks leading 56-49.
The defensive stalwarts were Mwadi Mabika, Tamecka Dixon, Allison Feaster and La’Keshia Frett, who alternately guarded the Mystic pair.
Washington finally generated some offense, taking advantage of the wobbling Sparks in the last eight minutes. Holdsclaw made two three-point baskets in just over a minute and soon added an 18-foot baseline jumper to bring the Mystics--who never led--to within 66-64.
Cooper couldn’t have felt comfortable with his team’s reduced lead down the stretch, or at least until Mabika made a three-point shot with 1:02 left that gave Los Angeles a 76-67 lead.
He then, in the locker room, gave his team the news it wanted to hear. No practice today.
“Yeah, we tired a bit in the stretch, but I commend these young ladies,” Cooper said.
“They could have just let this one go, but instead they played through tired legs and did what they needed to get it done.”
McCray finished with 20 points, Holdsclaw with 16. Lisa Leslie had a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds and five Sparks finished in double figures. Eight players finished with double-digit minutes, a key to the victory, Cooper said.
“The game plan was to do two things, limit Holdsclaw’s and McCray’s touches, and to keep a fresh body on Holdsclaw at all times,” Cooper said. “She got 27 shots off against us at Washington and we didn’t want that.”
Holdsclaw, who was two for seven from the field in the first half, finished seven for 19. McCray was five for 11.
And so the Sparks will try to make it 12 in a row Sunday against Utah at the Forum. The Houston Comets hold the WNBA record with 15 consecutive victories, set in 1998.
The Sparks’ streak grows, but attendance continues declining. Only 5,149 showed up Thursday.
WNBA President Val Ackerman was a spectator and at halftime addressed the Sparks’ attendance woes.
“We’d like the fans of L.A. to be more supportive; we think they have a fine team to follow, one with incredible players,” she said.
The Sparks might have had a larger halftime lead than 42-31 if not for two amazing plays by Washington’s Markita Aldridge and Vicky Bullett midway through the first half.
The Spark defense, on consecutive possessions, forced the Mystics down to one second left on the shot clock and both players made desperation shots just before the buzzer.