AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 14 (AP) -- The Houston Comets aren't used to playing for pride.
Still, as long as they have to do it, they want to do it well.
Tina Thompson had 25 points and nine rebounds as the Comets, already eliminated from postseason contention for just the second time in their 11-year history, beat the defending champion Detroit Shock 81-73 Tuesday night.
"We want to make a strong push at the end of this season,'' Thompson said. "We don't have a chance to make the playoffs, but we want to finish on a high note.''
Michelle Snow added 13 points and Hamchetou Maiga-Ba scored 10 for Houston (12-20).
"This was perfect against a great team who could possibly go on and win another championship,'' said head coach Karleen Thompson. "We're a young team, we've improved all the way through the year, and we want to finish strong to start thinking about next season.''
Deanna Nolan scored 20 points and Katie Smith had 16 for the Shock (24-8), who have already clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
"You're half trying to rest and half trying to compete,'' Smith said. "It's a hard mix to go out there and get the job done.''
Detroit was missing two All-Stars, as Cheryl Ford is out for the regular season with a knee injury and Kara Braxton served the first of a two-game suspension for a drunk-driving offense.
"With those two frontcourt players out, we gave up too many offensive rebounds and didn't have enough size,'' Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said.
Laimbeer expects Ford back for the playoffs, which start next week.
"She's fine,'' he said. "She's a little perturbed that she's not out there.''
Houston shot 48.7 percent in the first half on its way to a 47-41 lead. Thompson had 14 points in the half, then scored the first four points of the third quarter to move the Comets advantage to 10.
The Shock took a 59-58 lead on Plenette Pierson's put-back in the final minute of the quarter, but two free throws by Thompson gave Houston a one-point edge going into the fourth.
The Comets then pulled away down the stretch as Detroit played their reserves, although not as much as Laimbeer had hoped. Nolan played 31 minutes and Smith 27.
"I told those two after the game that I had played them too many minutes,'' Laimbeer said. "That won't happen again the next two games.
"We were in a position to win the game, and I played them. That won't happen again.''
According to Hamilton County court records, Braxton was arrested on Sept. 25, 2006, in Cincinnati, approximately two hours before the father of her son, Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, was arrested for the same offense on the same street. Thurman has been suspended from the NFL for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
"This is real-world stuff she's dealing with,'' Laimbeer said after the game. "We'll just wait until she comes back.''
