Streaking Comets Face Sparks but Makeup a Bit of a Mystery

The Sparks, in quest of another winning streak, won’t know if they’re playing Houston’s Big Three or Big Two until game time tonight at the Great Western Forum.

Cynthia Cooper, already in a swirling news story over her unexpected retirement announcement, made headlines again Wednesday night by injuring her right ankle with 1:11 left during the Comets’ 77-62 victory over Sacramento.

Cooper had scored 17 points when she crumpled to the floor after colliding with the Monarchs’ Ruthie Bolton-Holifield.

Thursday at the Forum, Cooper participated only in shooting drills and was scheduled for an MRI exam Thursday night. Her availability tonight could be a game-time decision, the Comets said.

On Houston’s last visit to Inglewood, its six-game winning streak was ended when the Sparks upended the Comets, 90-84. Every starting Spark scored in double figures that night and Los Angeles kept right on going, winning 12 in a row until it lost to Portland on Tuesday.

Houston hasn’t lost since. Its win over Sacramento Wednesday was the Comets’ 10th in a row. Their only other loss this season was to Phoenix, 80-62, on June 3.

Of the league’s top seven scorers, three are Comets. Sheryl Swoopes leads with 21.3 points per game, Cooper is at 17.9 and Tina Thompson is at 17.2.

Swoopes and Thompson are having career seasons. Thompson, who began working on a three-point shot after her junior season at USC, leads the WNBA at 44.3%.

Swoopes, the league’s quickest defender and its best finisher, leads the league with 3.05 steals per game, most of them tips on the perimeter.

Janeth Arcain starts at Houston’s point and is backed up by one-time Connecticut star Jen Rizzotti. Former Tennessee center Tiffani Johnson has started 19 games for Houston.