L.A. Shows Spark After Short Layoff
The six days off did wonders for the Sparks. They returned to Staples Center Saturday energized, with a gleam in their eye and a swagger in their step, more than ready to prove they were worthy of the WNBA’s best record.
Los Angeles also faced the perfect motivational opponent in the Seattle Storm, its closest pursuer in the Western Conference and the team that initiated the Sparks’ two-game home losing streak on June 19.
The Sparks responded by beating the Storm, 84-75, before 9,000. The Sparks improved to 13-3 and also pushed the Storm four games behind them in the standings.
And, for the first time in weeks, the Sparks looked sharp and dominant, with their highest point total this season. It was only the third time this year the Sparks have scored more than 80 points.
“This was a great game for us,” Coach Michael Cooper said. “It was the first good home win we’ve had this year. [Having the break] was a good time to prepare for Seattle.”
What appeared to make Cooper happy was getting contributions from his starters, who all scored in double figures and accounted for every Los Angeles point.
Lisa Leslie led the Sparks with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Tamecka Dixon continued her recent hot streak with 21 points before leaving in the final minutes after bumping knees with Storm forward Kamila Vodichkova. Mwadi Mabika, who has been slowed all summer by a tight right quadriceps muscle, scored 13 points.
“I felt really good tonight,” Mabika said. “My knees needed some rest, and that’s what I got. I didn’t practice for five days, and just a little the past two days. Rest was really the key.”
DeLisha Milton scored 15 points and Nikki Teasley had 12.
Seattle (9-7), which entered the game having won nine of its previous 12, was never in this one. The Storm opened with a 3-0 lead and the score was tied at 8-8.
But despite 27 points by Sue Bird, 19 points from Lauren Jackson and 17 by Vodichkova, the Storm couldn’t keep up with the Sparks’ energy or intensity.
By halftime, the Storm trailed, 47-34, and the visitors trailed by as many as 23 points in the second half (62-39) before fighting back to make the final score more respectable.
“We were definitely refreshed tonight,” Leslie said. “We definitely were not happy our last time here [against Sacramento], probably because some fatigue had set in from our road trips. I think the coaches have now found a happy medium between our practices and us getting our rest.”
The Sparks also felt they needed to send a message to Seattle and the rest of the league in case other teams were sensing they were becoming vulnerable.
“We’re getting back to our defense again that won the championship for us,” said Teasley, who made back-to-back three-point baskets early in the second half to break the game open.
“Offensively we can get it done, but we’re focused now on our defense. A lot of teams bring their ‘A’ game when they play us; they want to beat us because we’re the champs, especially Seattle and Sacramento. So those are always tough games, very physical. And nobody wants to lose.”
Said Leslie, who had her usual elbow exchanges with Jackson in the post: “Seattle really comes to play when they play us. When we watch tape on them, they never seem to play as well as they do when they have to play us. And we have a lot of pride; we feel we’ve lost to them more than we’d like to admit. So there is more on the line now when we play them.”
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Rivals, Head to Head
How the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie and Seattle’s Lauren Jackson, the league’s two leading scorers this season, have fared in their 10 WNBA meetings:
*--* Jackson Result Leslie 2001 19 LA 73, at Sea 60 22 7 at LA 85, Sea 79 19 26 at LA 79, Sea 60 22 2002 21 at Sea 79, LA 60 21 19 Sea 81, at LA 76 30 Jackson Result Leslie 2002 Playoffs 19 LA 78, at Sea 61 24 4 at LA 69, Sea 59 23 2003 15 LA 77, at Sea 74 20 15 Sea 69, at LA 67 21 19 at LA 84, Sea 75 23
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