Sparks Go On Without Leslie
The Sparks, who have the WNBA’s best record (15-3) and own a 4 1/2-game lead in the Western Conference, will start the second half of the season tonight without All-Star center Lisa Leslie.
Leslie suffered a bone bruise in her right knee during the All-Star game Saturday in New York. She is expected to sit out tonight’s game against Phoenix and Friday’s game against Houston. She might return Sunday against Connecticut, but Coach Michael Cooper did not sound hopeful.
“Obviously, she’s injured and it’s a day-to-day situation,” he said. “I’m not counting on [a quick return]. I’ll just wait until the doctors say what they say, and it’s also up to her. It’s her knee, and she’ll tell us when she’s ready to go. Other than that, we’ll work with what we’ve got.
“Certainly we’ll miss her. But we have 10 other players that can play. And I still feel comfortable and confident in this team that, if it comes out and plays hard, it can win.”
Leslie hurt the knee in the second half of the game. East forward Swin Cash, battling Leslie for the ball, fell back on Leslie, and Leslie’s right leg was bent at an awkward angle.
She was transported to Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan, underwent a MRI examination and was diagnosed with a bruised kneecap.
On Monday, Leslie came to the Sparks’ morning practice on crutches and wore a knee brace. She didn’t stay long, leaving to discuss the MRI results with team physicians Steve Lombardo and John Moe.
Replacing Leslie’s 18.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and three blocked shots per game will be difficult. Cooper said he will start Jennifer Gillom tonight and also use Rhonda Mapp, his most experienced frontcourt reserves.
“We’ll use them [and rookie Chandra Johnson] or we might go with DeLisha Milton [at center] and a smaller lineup,” Cooper said. “We’ll find a way to get it done.”
Gillom, the league’s second all-time leading scorer behind Leslie who came to Los Angeles as a free agent after spending six years with Phoenix, acknowledged having struggled at times with the Sparks’ running style.
But she said Monday she is more comfortable in Cooper’s system and is looking forward to having an impact.
“Replacing Lisa is a big challenge. She’s a great player,” Gillom said. “But I think I’m ready to accept that challenge. The team has been asking me all season to step it up, and I guess this is my moment to step up.”
Nikki Teasley, Leslie’s West teammate and most valuable player of the All-Star game, said it was hard to believe the level of Leslie’s injury at first.
“When you see a player of her caliber go down like that,” Teasley said, “l thought she was going to get back up right away because she’s such a soldier. But when she stayed down, that’s when I knew she was really hurt. That’s why I dedicated the MVP award to her, because she would have won it if she had stayed in.
“We look at it as our character is being tested right now. Now we’ll have people coming off the bench who will have to step it up.”
Even if Leslie is sidelined for a long time, General Manager Penny Toler said it’s doubtful the team would look outside for relief, temporary or long term.
“I just think we’ll have to go with 10 [players] until we get Lisa back,” Toler said. “Because I’m not sure there is anybody else out there who can help us. Even if someone were cut or offered a trade, there’s still the salary cap to deal with.
“That’s why we’re fortunate it was just a bad bruise. Of course, Lisa will be missed, but this also gives us an opportunity to get some others ready for the playoffs.”