Mabika, Leslie in Control

The opening salvo in what figures to be an intense first-round playoff series came at 18:25 of the first half, when Spark guard Mwadi Mabika drove through the middle of the Seattle Storm defense and softly banked in a layup.

That was the first statement to the Storm that this wasn’t the same Sparks’ team it beat twice during the regular season.

The more declarative statement made was a 78-61 victory by the Sparks Thursday night before 9,686 at KeyArena, giving them a 1-0 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.

Mabika and Lisa Leslie combined for 47 points. Each dominated a half. Mabika had 14 of her 23 points in the first half, and Leslie scored 15 of her 24 points in the second half. In fact, Leslie scored the Sparks’ first 13 points of the second half.

“It was a heck of a game, and it was probably the most complete game we’ve played since beating Utah [102-75 on July 7],” Spark Coach Michael Cooper said.

Added Leslie, who also had nine rebounds: “I thought we had a lot of poise and composure on both ends of the floor. We really executed well offensively, and defensively we did a really good job of helping where we needed to.”

Lauren Jackson led Seattle with 19 points. Sue Bird had 11, but only two in the second half.

Seattle shot erratically in the second half against an aggressive defense. The Storm made only eight of 27 shots in the second half and missed eight shots between Simone Edwards’ three-footer at 10:19 and Adia Barnes’ three-pointer at 2:52.

The Sparks led by as many as 19 points.

“We stuck to our defensive plans,” Cooper said. “We wanted to limit the number of touches Lauren Jackson got. We wanted to keep Bird from penetrating the middle. And we had to concentrate on rebounding. They are the No. 1 offensive rebounding team, and we’re the No. 1 defensive rebounding team. Whoever imposed their authority in that area had a good chance to win.”

Bird, who played on two NCAA championship teams at Connecticut, saw the Sparks do the kind of things her Huskies’ team did last year in going 39-0.

“I think L.A. showed how they are an experienced team and that they have been here before,” Bird said. “I do not think that we really played our game.”

The next game is Saturday at Staples Center. A third game, if needed, will be Monday in Los Angeles.

Cooper did not declare the series over--”The playoffs really start when one team wins the first game, and we haven’t been that comfortable at home this year”--but the other Sparks do not think the Storm will beat them twice in Staples Center.

“Championships are won on the road, which is why that first game is so key,” said Tamecka Dixon, who had 12 points. “I believe with a short playoff series, the first game on the road is very important because you have two at home. If you go home down, your back’s against a wall. And anything can happen in one game.”

The Sparks made 10 of their first 12 shots to take a 23-11 lead in the first nine minutes. Mabika was hurting Seattle with drives through the lane and with her outside shooting.

Seattle looked tentative against the Sparks, making only four of its first 13 shots.

But Jackson and Bird led a 13-4 run that pulled the Storm within two points with four minutes to play before halftime.

The Sparks spurted again, and led, 37-30, at halftime.

“I wasn’t making my jump shot this morning during the shootaround, so I told myself to go to the basket tonight,” Mabika said.