Sparks let another one get away, 89-78 to Liberty
Another day, another debacle.
The Sparks blew another double-digit, fourth-quarter lead Tuesday afternoon, this time against the New York Liberty, which surged to an 89-78 victory at Staples Center.
It was the second consecutive game the Sparks built a sizable lead only to fall apart in the last 10 minutes, and their third collapse in eight home games.
They have blown similar leads in two other games but managed to win in overtime.
“At this point of the season, we should be clicking on all cylinders,” forward DeLisha Milton-Jones said. “Right now, there’s a lot of guesswork happening.”
The Sparks (10-5) took a 62-51 lead into the fourth quarter, then watched as New York made 11 of 14 field-goal attempts.
The Sparks played all but 14 seconds of the fourth quarter without center Lisa Leslie, who fouled out with 6 minutes 55 seconds remaining.
Leslie, who leads the WNBA in rebounding and blocked shots, played only 11 minutes.
Leslie appeared headed for a big game after scoring 10 points in the opening quarter, but she was whistled for her third foul with 7:12 remaining in the second quarter. She finished with 12 points.
“If she would have been in the whole game, it would have been a different story,” New York center Janel McCarville said.
“Getting her out of the game really opened up the inside for us.”
Coach Michael Cooper said Leslie’s absence should not have been a factor.
“We’ve got 12 players on this ballclub,” Cooper said. “When one goes down, one should step up.”
Cooper hinted at the possibility of personnel moves “to shake something up.”
Sparks starting shooting guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris, who began this season averaging 11.5 points in her six-year career, scored five points on two-for-seven shooting, marking the fourth game in the last five that she was held under seven points.
Her backup, Raffaella Masciadri, made one of five field-goal tries and is a combined nine for 34 in the last five games.
The Sparks have also been bothered by full-court pressure, which the Liberty (8-7) implemented at the start of the second half, forcing 10 turnovers in the last 20 minutes.
“I thought their pressure rattled us,” Cooper said. “At this level here, when you don’t handle pressure, you’re not going to be very successful.”
On defense, the Sparks had no answer for forward Shameka Christon, who made a career-best six three-point shots and scored a career-high 28 points.
Candace Parker led the Sparks with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
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