Sparks Get Some Traction on the Road
The Sparks began their longest trip this season by hammering out a 69-59 victory Saturday over the host Houston Comets in the Toyota Center.
It was as if the Sparks (11-9), who had lost two in a row and three of their previous four games, ended their struggles the moment they walked in the arena. Los Angeles led throughout, building a 17-point lead, at 27-10, early in the first half. The Comets closed to within five in the second half, but the Sparks steadily rebuilt the lead to a double-digit margin over the last eight minutes.
The Sparks were in charge of every key statistical category. They outshot Houston, 47.1% to 42.1%; outrebounded the Comets, 30-22; and forced more steals (9-5) in an emotional game in which players had to separate the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie and Houston’s Sheryl Swoopes after a shoving incident spurred technicals for both. The play occurred with Houston trailing, 66-52, after Swoopes’ layup with 5:30 left. She bumped Leslie, who responded by shoving her back.
“I think it was just a heated moment,” Leslie said of the incident involving her Olympic teammate on three U.S. teams.
Said Swoopes, who had a team-high 17 points: “I think she gets to the point where she feels like she can do whatever and nobody is going to do or say anything about it. When the referee didn’t take control of it when it happened, I’m not going to back down, so I retaliated.”
Aside from that duel, Spark Coach Henry Bibby saw a change in his team. “We haven’t played well basically all year,” he said. “We’ve struggled with a lot of injuries, and everyone has tried to do it themselves.” On Saturday, he said, his Sparks “moved the ball, we didn’t care who scored, and we played good defense.”
It was a particularly big day for the Sparks’ Tamika Whitmore, who had a game-high 20 points. Even though Whitmore was credited with only five rebounds, she wore out the Comets’ frontcourt inside the lane, making 12 of 13 free throws. As a team, Houston shot 11 free throws, making 10.
“We knew we were going to be on the road, but I think we are starting to jell together really well as a team,” Whitmore said. “Basketball is mostly about heart and effort. You have to have a want and a will to win, and I think we have that on this team.”
Chamique Holdsclaw added 15 points for the Sparks. Leslie and Mwadi Mabika each added 11. It was the second consecutive home loss for Houston (12-9), which has only a half-game lead on L.A., Minnesota and Seattle for second place in the Western Conference.
Houston Coach Van Chancellor had choice words for his team.
“ ‘One shot, pass me the ball, kick it,’ that’s it,” he said of the Comets, who have lost both their games since Tina Thompson returned from a maternity leave. “We’re third in the league in assists and we only got 12 today. ... If we don’t share the ball it’s going to be a long season.”
Mike Terry reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press reported from Houston.