Sparks-Dream Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jul 27 2011 4:25PM

A more productive - and apparently healthier - Angel McCoughtry has the Atlanta Dream on the verge of one of the longest win streaks in franchise history.

The Dream will try to claim a fifth consecutive victory Thursday night by dealing the Los Angeles Sparks a fourth straight defeat.

McCoughtry, the league's third-leading scorer in 2010 with 21.1 points per game, was hampered by a knee injury suffered in training camp and averaged 15.5 points on 35.9 percent shooting during her first 11 games this season.

During the win streak, the All-Star forward has led the Dream (7-9) with 27.3 points per game and she topped 30 in each of the past two. Her latest effort was a career-high 37 as Atlanta won its fourth in a row, 76-68 at league-worst Tulsa on Tuesday.

With one more victory, Atlanta will have its longest win streak since a franchise-best six in a row to open last season's Eastern Conference championship campaign.

"Every win is big in this league for everybody," McCoughtry said. "It's not like college where there are set teams you know will always win. For us, this game gave us a little more confidence. The chemistry is coming."

After winning their first two games under interim coach Joe Bryant, the Sparks (6-9) might have lost a little confidence with their current skid. The franchise turned to the father of Lakers star Kobe Bryant on July 10 after losing a season-high five in a row under Jennifer Gillom.

Los Angeles responded with back-to-back victories, holding the opposition to 74 points in each, but has since allowed an average of 84.3 while losing three straight.

A season-high 25 turnovers Tuesday led to 35 points for Minnesota during an 85-72 defeat to open a four-game road trip.

Kristi Toliver scored a career-high 28 points and Ebony Hoffman added a season-best 24 for the Sparks, who trailed by as much as 16 in the first half and got no closer than four in the second.

"We had a couple of miscues once we came back," Bryant said. "For three quarters we played well - the second, the third and the fourth we played good basketball. But that first quarter just dug us in a hole."

The Sparks committed 24 turnovers in their most recent visit to Atlanta and lost for the first time in three trips there, 89-81 last June. Iziane Castro Marques helped Los Angeles rally from a 16-point deficit by scoring 21 of her 25 in the second half.

McCoughtry had 19 points in that game and 32 during a 101-82 victory in Los Angeles last May.

Sparks 80, Dream 89

By GEORGE HENRY
Posted Jul 28 2011 10:48PM

ATLANTA (AP) After missing her first six shots, Angel McCoughtry made life miserable for the Los Angeles Sparks.

``We played well for about 23 seconds, but she hit some pretty big shots at the (shot-clock) buzzer,'' Sparks center Tina Thompson said. ``You can't let those things happen, but some of the shots she hit were tough. Not many people would make them.''

McCoughtry had 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to help the Atlanta Dream beat the Sparks 89-80 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

She's trying to get the Dream back to playing at the high level that allowed them to win the Eastern Conference last season.

``We are feeling good about ourselves and we want to keep this going,'' McCoughtry said. ``We want to make the playoffs, and that is where the momentum is coming from right now.''

Armintie Price added 14 points, and Iziane Castro Marques had all of her 13 points in the second quarter for Atlanta, which is one win from matching a franchise-best streak that began last season.

The Sparks lost their fourth straight. Ebony Hoffman scored 16 points, and Thompson added 15 for Los Angeles.

McCoughtry made a difficult jumper with 1:35 remaining and 2 seconds left on the shot clock, standing beside the right baseline and arcing in a soft 17-footer for an 80-72 lead that all but ended Los Angeles' chances.

``Angel really saved them,'' Sparks coach Joe Bryant said. ``She was the difference down the stretch. She made some big shots for them, especially around the buzzer, but that's what superstars do. We're waiting on Candace (Parker) to get back.''

The lead changed hands 14 times in the first half, but McCoughtry and Castro Marques combined to hit 10 of 12 shots and score 23 points as the Dream took a 45-41 halftime lead.

Atlanta took its biggest lead at 11 when McCoughtry hit a pair of free throws with 4:37 left in the third, but the Sparks went on a 12-2 run that cut the lead to one on Jenna O'Hea's basket early in the fourth. O'Hea finished with 14 points.

``We started executing and playing defense,'' Bryant said. ``We did a good job with our zone defense. I think it confused them a little bit, but with their size - even when played good defense - they would rebound and get those second-chance points.''

Los Angeles, which was outrebounded 46-29, was outscored 22-13 on second-chance points.

``We played better, but it still was not enough,'' Sparks guard Ticha Penicheiro said. ``We still have to figure out a way to win basketball games. We're still not rebounding well.''

The Sparks, who dropped to 2-8 on the road, play their next two games Saturday at Chicago and Sunday at Indiana.

Los Angeles starting forward DeLisha Milton-Jones went scoreless for the second straight game after playing a season-low 13 minutes and sat on the bench during the fourth quarter.

McCoughtry, who has averaged 26.2 points during the winning streak, looks fully recovered from a training camp knee injury.

During the first 11 games, she averaged 15.5 points and shot just 35.9 percent. McCoughtry has shot 45.8 percent since the Dream were blown out at New York on July 13.

``We have great balance on this team,'' McCoughtry said. ``If someone is having an off night, another player will step up and help out. Like me tonight, I had a slow start, but the team picked up the slack. It's nice and comforting to know that you don't have to go out there and do it all by yourself.''

• Sparks: --
• Dream: --

• Sparks: --
• Dream: --

• Lead Changes: 14
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #4 Sue Blauch, #25 Marcus Clayton, #44 Felicia Grinter
• Attendance: 6701
• Duration: 1:54