Comets Push Series to Game 3

Tina Thompson scored 17 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 14 as the Houston Comets avoided elimination from the WNBA playoffs Sunday with a 69-48 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs at Houston. The victory tied the series, at 1-1, with Game 3 Tuesday at Houston.

“At times, I thought we were unstoppable,” Swoopes said. “If you’d told me it would be this kind of game, I wouldn’t believe you. I thought it was going to be more of a battle. We got our transition on early, and I think that was the key today.”

Houston never trailed in Game 2, taking a 24-6 lead in the opening minutes. Yolanda Griffith led the Monarchs with 20 points. “Tina was really hot, it seemed almost like she hit some miracle shots,” Griffith said.

Houston’s Michelle Snow, announced as the WNBA’s most improved player, had nine points and 11 rebounds.

Cleveland 66 Detroit 59 -- The Shock collected individual league honors before the game, with Bill Laimbeer being voted WNBA coach of the year and Cheryl Ford rookie of the year, but the Rockers and their star rookie, LaToya Thomas, came away with the Game 2 victory at Auburn Hills, Mich. It evened the best-of-three first-round series at 1-1. Thomas had 16 points and eight rebounds. Ford had nine points for the Shock, which shot 29% from the field, the team’s season low. The Shock will play host to Game 3 Tuesday.