SPARKS TODAY

at Sacramento, 1 p.m., Channel 4

Site--Arco Arena.

Radio--KPLS (830).

Records--Sparks 20-6, Monarchs 10-16.

Record vs. Monarchs--2-0.

Update--For the Sparks, it qualifies as a slump--a mere two-game losing streak. But it comes at a time when they are fighting for the Western Conference title, with Houston only a half-game back and less than two weeks left in the regular season. “Obviously, we’re after home-court advantage throughout the playoffs,” Coach Michael Cooper said. “But I feel very strongly ... that it doesn’t matter what happens, we’re in the playoffs and we’ll handle our business there.” Lisa Leslie scored a season-high 30 points in Thursday’s loss to Seattle in a game marred by 18 Spark turnovers. “I don’t think we feel like we can just turn it on. I think we have to turn it on now,” Leslie said. “We have to look at our turnover situation and focus on getting those down.” Sacramento, like Seattle, is hot. The Monarchs have a six-game winning streak and have recovered from earlier injuries that took Yolanda Griffith and Ticha Penicheiro out of the lineup for extended periods. But the Sparks’ focus is on their own play, as a 25-minute meeting Thursday proved. “Management wants us to know no one is angry at anyone, they just were telling us things they saw in us,” DeLisha Milton said. “They see that it’s almost like we’re not believing in ourselves like we once did. I think it’s very true.”