Monarchs Defeat Comets, 73-69

The biggest shot of Nicole Powell’s career has the Sacramento Monarchs one win away from their first trip to the WNBA finals.

Powell forced overtime Thursday night with a desperation three-pointer with four seconds left in regulation and the Monarchs went on to defeat the Comets, 73-69, at Houston, in Game 1 of the best-of-three Western Conference finals.

“That, for sure, was the biggest shot of my professional career,” Powell said. “My role is to get open and hit the outside shots. As a team we had to be ready for this and everybody just fed off each other. That has been our story all year.”

DeMya Walker, who finished with 11 points, played for the first time since Aug. 18 after nursing a sprained right knee. She didn’t start but made four of her nine shots and added six rebounds.

Yolanda Griffith scored 14 points and Kara Lawson added 12 for the Monarchs.

In three of the last four years, Sacramento has been eliminated from the conference finals by the Sparks twice (2001 and 2003) and Seattle (2004).

Griffith played 35 minutes and made six of her 15 shots, and led the Monarchs with eight rebounds.

“Even though we won, our backs are still against the wall,” Griffith said. “Houston has four great players and we know they’re not going to quit. We know that.”

Sheryl Swoopes scored 14 of her game-high 19 points in the second half for Houston. Tina Thompson added 18 points and Michelle Snow had 14.

Connecticut 73, Indiana 68 -- Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 24 points as the Sun opened the Eastern Conference finals with a win at Indianapolis.

Katie Douglas hit an off-balance bank shot from 23 feet away as the shot clock expired with 30 seconds remaining to give the Sun a six-point lead.

Connecticut gained possession when Fever guard Tully Bevilaqua was called for traveling as she attempted to inbound the ball with 61 seconds left and the Sun leading, 65-62.

After Douglas’ three-pointer, Fever forward Tamika Catchings missed a baseline drive with 22 seconds left. Nykesha Sales rebounded, was fouled and made both free throws for a 70-62 lead with 21 seconds to play.

The Fever played much of the first half without Catchings, who suffered a mild concussion. Catchings hit the floor as she stole the ball from Brooke Wyckoff with 13:48 to go in the half.

Wyckoff then fell on Catchings, who was helped to the locker room. After a 15-minute evaluation by the team physician, Catchings was cleared to play in the second half.

She came back to lead the Fever with eight rebounds and finished with 10 points.

The Sun made nine of its first 10 shots and shot 59.3% in the first half. Despite missing seven straight shots and going 12:40 without a basket in the second half, the Sun finished at 47.8%. The Fever shot 37.7%.

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Seattle forward Alicia Thompson is retiring after playing for six seasons.