Sparks on Their Guard
Their victory in Seattle may have looked easy. But the Sparks don’t see anything easy in trying to eliminate the Storm from the WNBA playoffs.
“We have to get after them,” said Lisa Leslie, who scored 24 points in the Sparks’ 78-61 victory to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead in this Western Conference semifinal series. “The pressure is on us. They don’t have anything to lose but the game. It’s a lot, but [today] is still a bigger deal for us than it is for them.”
Added DeLisha Milton: “I don’t think we got into their heads. We’re concentrating on playing the kind of ball we can play. And that’s being focused from the opening tip to the final buzzer and not let whatever tactics they throw at us get to us.”
If the Sparks don’t sound as if they are letting down their collective guard, the Storm is making it clear it realizes it has to come up with some different moves.
The Storm can’t let the Sparks shoot 55.9% again, nor can they allow Leslie to conduct a layup drill, the way she did in the second half, scoring 13 consecutive points. And Seattle cannot recklessly put up shots and permit the Sparks to lock up rebounds.
“We have to remember,” Seattle Coach Lin Dunn said, “that Los Angeles shot exceptionally well [on Thursday]. And I mean making big, tough shots. We know Lisa will get hers, but we were hurt by the contributions of Mwadi Mabika and Tamecka Dixon.
“L.A. played as well as they have in any game this season. We have to get to another level.”
Spark Coach Michael Cooper is eager to see the adjustments Seattle makes, and he is just as eager to find out how the Sparks react to being back in Staples Center after four consecutive road games.
“We’re fortunate to be up 1-0,” Cooper said. “Now we come back home. I still feel comfortable and confident back here, but it isn’t like last year. Seattle has beaten us here once. I’m pretty sure they’re not afraid of coming in here [and] know they can win if we don’t do the things we’re supposed to do.”
The Sparks threw some subtle changes on defense at the Storm Thursday, starting with altering their zone defense from a 2-3 configuration to a 3-2. That allowed the Spark defender in the middle of the zone to roam through the middle, cutting off entry passes to Lauren Jackson and Kamila Vodichkova.
The Sparks also worked at denying Sue Bird the ability to go through the middle. Bird still had eight assists, but most of those were on outside shots by Seattle. As its 35.2% field-goal shooting suggests, the Storm didn’t make many.
“L.A. raised their game,” Bird said. “Now that we have the first game off our backs, we’ll feel less nervous out there.”
But the Storm also must have more energy, according to Adia Barnes, who started the opener.
“No excuses, but we didn’t have the same sense of urgency that we showed in winning the games we had to just to get [to the playoffs],” Barnes said.
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TODAY
vs. Seattle, 1, Channel 4
Site--Staples Center.
Radio--KPLS (830).
Playoff series--Sparks lead, 1-0.
Update--The Sparks are back in Staples Center for the first time since losing to Houston there Aug. 8. That was the last time the Sparks lost, and if Seattle needs any other ominous omens, the Sparks have never lost a first-round playoff game, having gone 7-0. Seattle has to decide whether to run and get its shots before L.A. can set up on defense or be prepared to limit the possessions by keeping it a half-court game. The Storm also needs a third scorer. Lauren Jackson scored 19 points and Sue Bird 11, but no other Seattle player had more than eight Thursday.
Tickets--(877) 962-2849 or (213) 480-3232.