Liberty-Sparks Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jun 20 2011 10:49PM

They were among the players on the court for the inaugural game, and now Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo can admire a pair of current stars - Candace Parker and Cappie Pondexter - during another WNBA milestone.

The Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty will meet again as the league celebrates its 15th season Tuesday night at the Staples Center.

Leslie literally helped WNBA tip off as her Sparks faced the Liberty on June 21, 1997, but it was Lobo and Teresa Weatherspoon who helped lead New York to a 67-57 win at Los Angeles' Forum.

In the time since that game, Lobo said she's watch the league's players steadily grow more skilled, athletic and stronger every season.

"The players are better now,'' Lobo said. "I think that's because they watched women's basketball played at the highest level since they were young kids. It's a whole different sports world that young girls have been able to grow up with the last 15 years."

Pondexter, an All-Star guard for the Liberty was 14 when that game was played and Candace Parker, the 2008 league MVP for the Sparks, was 11. Los Angeles' Tina Thompson, the only player to appear in all 15 seasons, was with the Houston Comets.

"I felt really blessed to have grown up in a generation where it was hard to remember when there wasn't a WNBA," Parker said.

Amid the hubbub, Parker and Pondexter will try to help their teams accomplish different goals.

With Parker's help, Los Angeles (3-1) will try to win its third straight and improve to 4-0 at home. Pondexter will try to guide New York (2-3) to its first victory in four games and add to a 2-1 road record.

If the Sparks can repeat their latest effort, it might prove difficult for the Liberty to snap their skid and extend a four-game win streak in Los Angeles.

The Sparks held reigning league MVP Lauren Jackson to nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in Sunday's 74-50 rout of defending champion Seattle. The 50 points were the fewest allowed by the team since a 67-47 victory over Sacramento on June 21, 2009.

Led by Ebony Hoffman's 12 points, Los Angeles' bench posted a 40-7 scoring advantage.

"I thought this showed that we're capable of playing anyone, anybody at any time. When we play together as a team, we're going to be tough to stop," coach Jennifer Gillom said.

Gillom's club also held another former MVP, Diana Taurasi, to nine points in a 98-84 victory over Phoenix on June 10. The Sparks will next try to contain Pondexter, who had 20 points in an 85-73 loss at Chicago on Friday.

The Liberty guard scored 13 of those in the fourth quarter but couldn't help her team rally from a 14-point deficit.

While Parker nursed an injured left shoulder, Pondexter scored 19 points in last season's 80-68 win in Los Angeles and 20 in a 88-79 victory in New York.

The Liberty have won three straight and nine of 12 versus the Sparks over the past six years.

The teams will close out their season series Sunday at the Prudential Center.

Milton-Jones, Parker lead Sparks past Liberty

Posted Jun 22 2011 1:55AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Celebrating a historic night in WNBA history, Los Angeles hosted the New York Liberty on the anniversary of their matchup in the league's first game in 1997. The Sparks completed the festivities by getting a win this time.

DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 27 points and had a key late steal to help Los Angeles beat New York 96-91.

``You want to win on a night like tonight,'' Sparks coach Jennifer Gillom said. ``This was a 15-year celebration, and we wanted to celebrate.''

Candace Parker had 21 points and 13 rebounds to carry the Sparks (4-1) to their third straight win. Kristi Toliver had 16 points and Tina Thompson added 14 and a key block in the final minute.

``It's important. It's the birthday of our league,'' Parker said. ``I think a lot of people, when (the WNBA) started out, didn't think it would make it to this point. That's a testament to how great our pioneers of the game were.

``It's a huge responsibility on us to make sure we have a 30th anniversary.''

Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points for New York (2-4), which has lost four straight. Plenette Pierson scored 15 points and Kia Vaughn had 14 and 12 rebounds.

The Liberty beat the Sparks 67-57 in the league's inaugural game 14 years ago at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. This time around, the Sparks came out on top, thanks to a strong closing stretch.

Milton-Jones made a driving layup for a 92-88 lead with 1:49 left. Nicole Powell made a 3-pointer on the other end to pull the Liberty within one.

Following a turnover, Milton-Jones intercepted a pass in traffic and fed the ball to Parker, who dribbled behind her back with Pondexter bearing down on her and laid it in with her left hand with 29 seconds left to make it 94-91.

The Liberty had two looks at tying it but Powell missed a shot from the right corner and Sidney Spencer's shot was blocked by Thompson.

``Our whole game plan was get to the last two minutes with a chance to win,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ``We were there, we just couldn't execute our sideline out of bounds there at the end of the game.''

Milton-Jones iced it with two free throws on the other end as Los Angeles improved to 4-0 at home.

``We knew how excited everybody was and the hype surrounding it,'' Parker said. ``But I think we did a good job of just getting out on the court and playing basketball.''

The Sparks hit 11 of 19 3-pointers and went 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.

The night was particularly special for Thompson, the only player to have appeared in every season and the league's all-time leading scorer.

``It's a blessing to be able to have a career, in any field, for over a decade,'' Thompson said. ``Never would I have dreamed when I was a little girl that I would be playing basketball for a living.''

NOTES: Parker has recorded double-figures in 24 straight games. The Liberty had won three straight and nine of 12 against the Sparks. Tuesday night's attendance was 10,389. There were 14,284 people at the first game in 1997.

• Liberty: --
• Sparks: --

• Liberty: --
• Sparks: --

• Lead Changes: 16
• Times Tied: 13

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #39 Michael Price, #38 Lamont Simpson, #9 Denise Brooks
• Attendance: 10389
• Duration: 2:2