Sparks Feel Right at Home in Win
Five games into the 2005 season and the Sparks remain a) a work in progress, b) a talented enigma, or c) all of the above.
Even with Tuesday’s 81-70 victory, in its home opener in front of an announced 7,674 at Staples Center over a determined but winless San Antonio team, Los Angeles -- for all its prominent parts -- hasn’t meshed. Because of periodic lulls that have occurred on offense, the Sparks (3-2) alternate between easy and hard on the eyes.
But when they have four starters scoring in double figures, led by Lisa Leslie with 22, and they can pressure a team into 18 turnovers and 37.5% shooting as they did against the Silver Stars (0-5), the Sparks give hints of being a championship contender.
“We’re still getting to know each other,” Coach Henry Bibby said. “We’re sort of feeling ourselves through. It wasn’t a pretty victory, but it’s a victory and we’ll take it.
“We still have to play better defense. We gave up too many points in the second half (45). We gave up only 25 in the first half. If we can put two halves together like that we’ll be fine.”
Leslie, who made nine of 23 shots and had seven rebounds, said there has been measurable progress by the team that is adjusting to the new schemes created by Bibby and his staff.
“We’re used to being a running team, but now we’re trying to run smart,” Leslie said. “We feel we’re open all over the place and maybe we’re trying to force some things.
“The key for us has been trying to get defensive stops. Our offense is still struggling a bit, but when our defense is on we can hold teams. And that’s something we really want to build on.”
Chamique Holdsclaw, who was warmly received by her new home crowd, had 19 points and five rebounds. And 15 of her points came in the second half.
She also continued to talk about the need for defense, a refrain Holdsclaw has stressed since her arrival from Washington.
“We can score, both inside and outside,” Holdsclaw said. “We’re committed to getting our defense better. Everybody who touches it can score at any given time.
“We still are working on not taking early shots so we can get good rebound position. And the more we play with each other, the more we’ll know everyone’s sweet spot.”
Los Angeles had a 29-25 halftime lead after holding the Silver Stars to only seven field goals (in 28 shots). But L.A. was unable to put any distance between itself and San Antonio for several reasons.
Among the most prominent were getting outrebounded, 18-17, (and 6-2 on the offensive end); having 10 turnovers (to 11 for San Antonio); and sending the Silver Stars to the free-throw line 12 times, where they converted 10.
The spurt the Sparks were looking for came early in the second half, when they held San Antonio scoreless more than five minutes while running off 14 points for a 48-33 lead.L.A.’s biggest advantage was 57-40 with 9:46 to play. San Antonio would get as close as six points in the final two minutes.
Chantelle Anderson had 16 points for San Antonio before fouling out.
The Sparks don’t play again until Saturday in Sacramento. The team is hopeful that Laura Macchi will join them Thursday from Italy, giving them another guard-forward.
They’ll continue to monitor Mwadi Mabika’s recovery from arthroscopic surgery, although Bibby didn’t sound as if he was counting on her any time soon.