Sparks Hold Off Comets to Take Lead in West

DeLisha Milton scored 18 points and the Sparks took over the top spot in the Western Conference with a 64-63 win over the Houston Comets on Saturday.

The Comets (19-10) had their nine-game home winning streak end and fell a game behind the Sparks (21-10), who won their second consecutive game since Lisa Leslie returned from a bruised right knee Thursday.

The Sparks went on an 18-8 run in the second half to take a 58-48 lead with 7:47 remaining. Houston rallied from a nine-point deficit with three minutes left, but Sheryl Swoopes’ potential game-winning three-point shot deflected high off the backboard with a little more than two seconds left in the game.

“With a team like Houston, even if you’re up by 20 points, they are never really out of it because they have great players,” Milton said. “Swoopes almost won the game for them and they have Tina Thompson and Janeth Arcain. They can really get it done out there.”

Houston scored the last eight points of the game, making eight consecutive free throws, but Swoopes was unable to convert after the Comets forced the Sparks into a shot-clock violation.

“It was a great comeback, but we just couldn’t do it today,” Swoopes said. “They played great defense, but we’ll be all right. L.A. is a great team.”

Tamecka Dixon had 14 points for the Sparks, and Leslie had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Thompson had 18 for Houston, which had won a season-high five games in a row.

It was the Comets’ first setback at Compaq Center since a 71-62 loss to the Sparks on June 21.

The Sparks have won two of three games against the Comets this season.