Sparks Leave Past Behind
For the first time in WNBA history, the league champions will not be the Houston Comets.
The Sparks saw to that Monday night, eliminating the four-time champions from the playoffs with a 70-58 victory that completed a two-game sweep of the first-round series before 8,630 at Staples Center.
It took nearly all 40 minutes for the Sparks to chase away the ghosts of their playoff past--the last two summers it was the Comets who ended their season.
But a 14-0 run--starting with Tamecka Dixon’s 17-footer to tie the score at 54 with 5:32 left to play and ending with two free throws by Lisa Leslie at the 2:35 mark--was the final push the Sparks needed to oust the Comets.
Los Angeles, led by Leslie’s 28 points and a league playoff-record 18 rebounds, will open the Western Conference finals Friday in Sacramento.
Houston--which began the season without star players Cynthia Cooper (retirement) and Sheryl Swoopes (injury), and lost its best player, Tina Thompson, when she tore her left calf muscle with 11:03 left in the game--will have the off-season to reflect on its first-ever playoff exit.
“This feels just like my [1985] season with the Lakers when we finally beat Boston in the finals for the first time,” Spark Coach Michael Cooper said.
“It’s exciting to beat the champions. But it can’t stop here. We’ll have a little time to enjoy it but we have to get ready for an excellent Sacramento team.”
Indeed, as historic as the victory was for the Sparks and the WNBA, the players seemed as low-key about their accomplishment as their coach.
There were no wide smiles or hugs on the court as the final seconds ticked down. Nor were there any wild whoops or cries in the locker room.
“How long will we celebrate? To about midnight,” said Ukari Figgs, tongue somewhat in cheek.
The Sparks had expected all along to defeat Houston in the playoffs this season. It didn’t matter to them who was wearing the Comet uniform.
“It’s special, but there have been so many special things this season that it’s hard to remember them all,” said Leslie, who is expected to pick up the league MVP award during the conference finals.
“I wouldn’t say a torch was passed. It’s a big step, but our goal is the championship and you have to win six games to do that.”
Figgs agreed. “We are now looking forward to the next series,” she said. “We respect Houston and what they’ve done. But it’s now about the next challenge. That’s why you didn’t see a lot of jumping around after the game.”
The Comets, mindful of how the Sparks got off to a 7-0 start in Saturday’s Game 1 and forced them to play catch-up, got out the gate quickly, scoring the game’s first six points and forcing Cooper to call a quick timeout.
The Sparks did not let the Comets run away from them, though, coming back to take their first lead, 14-13, with 13:50 left in the first half.
Los Angeles got the first big surge late in the half, using a 11-2 spurt to take its biggest lead, 32-24, at the 4:02 mark.
The Sparks were helped when Comet center Tiffani Johnson got three fouls, limiting the effectiveness of Houston’s best inside player. Not that Leslie needed much help. She was enjoying her best first half in weeks, scoring 15 points and getting 12 rebounds.
Houston, which cut the margin to 34-28 at halftime, stayed as close as it did thanks to Janeth Arcain (14 points), who was making shots from all over the court while trying to play through tendinitis in her knees.
Arcain would finish with 19 points. Thompson had 13 before being helped off the floor. The rest of the Comets tried to help out, but getting scoring from players other than Arcain and Thompson has been one of Houston’s problems all season.
And the help was sporadic at best. Coquese Washington was the next highest-scoring Comet with seven. Johnson, who had a career-high 13 points Saturday, was held to five. Amanda Lassiter, who had 17 points in Game 1, had only two.
Leslie had more support. Dixon had 12, while Figgs added 11. And while neither team had a hot hand--the Sparks shot 39.3% from the floor, the Comets 34.4%--the Sparks ruled the backboards, 41-31, another key to the win.
Although his team’s title run ended, Coach Van Chancellor said, “I have never been as proud of the Comets as I [am] tonight. I thought we did a great job of hanging tough and finding a way. But Lisa had an unbelievable night; hats off to her and the Sparks.
“I am sure everyone in the world is happy they will get a new champ. But I’m not happy.”
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Best-of-three series
Friday: Sparks at Sacramento, 6 p.m., ESPN
Sunday: Sacramento at Sparks, 2 p.m., ESPN2
Monday: Sacramento at Sparks, TBA (if necessary)