Sparks-Silver Stars Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jul 11 2011 2:59PM

Since facing the San Antonio Silver Stars to start a seven-game road trip last month, the Los Angeles Sparks have lost star Candace Parker to injury and endured their longest losing streak in four years.

When they return to San Antonio, the Sparks will have a new coach to lead them over the final two games of the miserable road swing.

Joe "Jellybean" Bryant will begin his second stint as Sparks coach Tuesday night against the Silver Stars.

Los Angeles (4-6) got off to a 4-1 start before heading out on the road for what has been a winless trek. The Sparks haven't lost six in a row since a seven-game skid June 29-July 17, 2007.

Parker, who had a season-high 25 points in a 90-80 overtime defeat to San Antonio on June 24, tore the meniscus in her right knee two days later against New York. The former league MVP, averaging a team-best 17.7 points and 9.9 rebounds, is expected to miss another four weeks.

The defeat to the Silver Stars began a disastrous stretch that led to the dismissal of coach Jennifer Gillom, who managed to guide the team into the playoffs last season despite a shoulder injury to Parker. Gillom's firing came a day after a 99-80 loss to Seattle on Saturday - the club's second in a row by 19 points.

"I felt it was necessary to take the team in a different direction," vice president and general manager Penny Toler told the team's website. "Joe's familiarity with the Sparks organization puts us in the best possible position to compete going forward."

Bryant, the father of Lakers star Kobe Bryant, was the Sparks' coach from August 2005 until the end of the 2006 season and helped the team reach the playoffs in both years.

Bryant could start by getting his team to play better defense. The Sparks have allowed an average of 89.2 points over their last five games after giving up 77.0 in their first five.

They couldn't contain Jia Perkins in the first matchup with the Silver Stars (7-3), as she had a season-high 31 points off the bench. Los Angeles also couldn't score when it counted, going without a point over the final 1:46 of regulation to pave the way for Becky Hammon's tying 3-pointer.

Hammon scored six of her 22 points in the extra period to give her club its third straight win over Los Angeles. She wasn't nearly as good late during a 76-73 loss to the Liberty on Friday, however.

The All-Star guard had 18 points, but missed three free throws and committed a turnover in the last three minutes. The loss gave San Antonio consecutive defeats for the first time this season and cost it sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.

"This loss hurts because we should have had that one," Hammon said.

Bryant wins debut as Sparks coach

Posted Jul 12 2011 11:30PM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) The Los Angeles Sparks wasted no time in getting Joe Bryant a victory in his debut as their new coach.

Ticha Penicheiro scored 18 points and Los Angeles snapped a five-game losing streak with an 84-74 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Tuesday night.

The victory ended a five-game losing streak for the Sparks.

``It was not a monkey,'' Pinicheiro said of ending the losing streak, ``it was an orangutan, a gorilla on our back.''

Bryant, Kobe's father, took over as coach of the Sparks (5-6) on Sunday after Jennifer Gillom was fired. Los Angeles had lost the first five games on their seven-game road trip, which ends Friday at Tulsa.

This is Bryant's second stint as coach of the Sparks. He previously coached them from August 2005 until the end of the 2006 season.

He showed some fire early on, getting a technical in the second quarter for a non-call.

``If I don't get them, they'll get them, and that'll throw them off their game,'' he said.

During the third quarter, his shoot-first, ask-questions-later mindset helped loosen up the Sparks. After Kristi Toliver turned the ball over, Bryant issued some advice from the sidelines: ``Shoot it,'' he yelled repeatedly.

Toliver responded by burying a 3-pointer on the next possession.

``You can't be afraid to play,'' Bryant said. ``Someone like Kristi Toliver, I'll take her out if she doesn't shoot the ball.''

The same advice went for Penicheiro, who scored a season high in her second game off the bench.

``She's always been known as a non-shooter, a passer,'' Bryant said. ``I kind of gave her the green light, said 'If you don't shoot, I'm taking you out too.'''

Sophia Young scored 22 points for the Silver Stars (7-4), who have now lost three straight games. Danielle Adams added 16 points and eight rebounds for San Antonio.

The Sparks scored 49 points off the bench, led by Penicheiro. Natasha Lacy added 13 and Jantel Lavender had 12. In the second quarter, only one Sparks starter - DeLisha Milton-Jones - played as they turned an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.

The Sparks held Silver Stars star guard Becky Hammon to five points on 2-of-14 shooting. She missed all seven of her 3-point attempts.

``That happens sometimes when you get in a rough patch,'' Hammon said. ``As (coach Dan) Hughes says, 'We get cold, we can get hot.'''

• Sparks: --
• Silver Stars: --

• Sparks: Bryant
• Silver Stars: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 10

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #7 Clarke Stevens, #34 Maj Forsberg, #45 Tom Mauer
• Attendance: 6769
• Duration: 1:51