Sparks deliver in opener

Playing in their first season opener in franchise history without three-time most valuable player Lisa Leslie, the Sparks didn’t miss a beat Tuesday night in an 81-64 victory over the Chicago Sky.

“We’re going to miss her because of the presence that she brings,” said Sparks Coach Michael Cooper. “When you’re missing a key player like that, you have to do other things. I thought the players that we got did a good job tonight for our first game out.”

With Leslie sitting out the season because she is pregnant, the Sparks (1-0) looked to Chamique Holdsclaw and Taj McWilliams-Franklin and they came through.

Holdsclaw had 18 points and eight rebounds and McWilliams-Franklin, acquired in the off-season from the Connecticut Sun to fill the void left by Leslie, had 13 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots for the Sparks.

Sidney Spencer and Mwadi Mabika each added nine points for the Sparks.

“We’re a running team,” Cooper said. “That’s what we want to do from the get-go. From the start of the first quarter we got out. Our defense was really aggressive.”

Dominique Canty had 18 points for the Sky (0-2).