LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 (Ticker) -- Lisa Leslie collected 28 points and 12
rebounds as the Los Angeles Sparks celebrated their fourth
straight regular-season Western Conference title with an 83-70
victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars.
The Sparks actually clinched the top seed in the Western
Conference earlier Saturday when Houston lost at Seattle. Los
Angeles will open the postseason against fourth-seeded
Minnesota, a team it has beaten 16 straight times.
San Antonio pulled within 63-57 on Margo Dydek's basket with
6:39 left. But Los Angeles answered with six straight points
and Shaquala William's basket with 5:36 to go made it 69-57.
Mwadi Mabika scored 16 points and Nikki Teasley added 15 and
nine assists for Los Angeles, which closes the regular season
Monday against Houston.
San Antonio concluded its first season in Texas with a 12-22
mark, including a 3-14 road record. The season was marked by
the firing of coach Candi Harvey on July 26 and interim coach
Shell Dailey guided the struggling team to a 6-6 mark to close
the season.
Last season, the then-Utah Starzz reached the Western Conference
finals before they were swept by the Sparks.
Margo Dydek poured in 23 points for the Silver
Stars.









