Silver Stars Knock Off the Sparks
Before the Sparks and Silver Stars took the floor for Monday’s game, Los Angeles Coach Joe Bryant reflected on what his team had done to record the WNBA’s best record.
“I’ve been impressed with the fact that even if we don’t shoot the ball well, we still find a way to win the game,” Bryant said.
But a third consecutive substandard shooting performance caught up with the Sparks in a hurry Monday, when they were routed by San Antonio, 85-63, at Staples Center.
Forward Agnieszka Bibrzycka made four three-point baskets and scored a career-high 23 points, and Chantelle Anderson had a career-high 18 points as the Silver Stars (9-8) won for the third straight time and ended a 10-game losing streak to the Sparks dating to Aug. 9, 2003.
The defeat shaved the Sparks’ Western Conference lead to one game over the Houston Comets, who L.A. will play host to on Wednesday.
The Sparks (13-5) had 23 points from Lisa Leslie, but she was the only L.A. player in double figures. The 63 points were the Sparks’ season low. They shot 33.3% (20 of 60), another season low.
It was the third consecutive game the Sparks were below 35% from the field.
“I guess it’s a little weird to be struggling shooting at home,” Leslie said. “You can make a lot of excuses, but we just have to shoot the ball better.
“We’ve been kind of like on a mudslide; we won the last two, but not very well, and you could kind of see this coming.”
San Antonio is trying to hang in the Western Conference race without two of its best players. Standout guard Marie Ferdinand recently gave birth to a son, and forward LaToya Thomas is out indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery. The Silver Stars have done so with a 7-3 record on the road, tops in the league.
“I wish I could put my finger on it,” San Antonio Coach Dan Hughes said of an explanation for the road success. “It would be a nice secret to know. I think we get good veteran leadership from the Johnsons, but to be honest it is one of the greater mysteries.”
Even with Shannon and Vickie Johnson each ending up in double figures, it would be difficult to imagine the last time the Sparks have played as poorly in the first half as they did Monday. They had more turnovers (11) than field goals (seven), and only five of the 10 players who appeared in the half made a basket.
They trailed, 36-24, at halftime, and the Silver Stars opened a 63-39 lead with a 13-5 second-half run.