Sparks-Mercury Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Sep 02 2011 3:38PM

The Phoenix Mercury failed to secure a playoff spot their last time out, but they've got a second shot to get the job done.

The Los Angeles Sparks' road to the postseason is not that simple.

Phoenix will try to punch its playoff ticket Saturday night when it goes for a fourth straight home win over the Sparks.

Needing a victory to earn a third straight postseason berth, the Mercury (17-13) lost 86-68 to San Antonio on Thursday to end their four-game trip.

Phoenix shot 31.1 percent, committed 21 turnovers and trailed by as many as 26.

"We just have to get ready for the next game as we can't just sit here and dwell on it," said DeWanna Bonner, who has averaged 24.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while starting the last two games for Penny Taylor (back spasms).

Phoenix finishes its schedule with three of four at home, but a matchup at Seattle on Sept. 9 could determine which of those teams - tied for second in the Western Conference heading into Friday's games - will earn home-court advantage in the first round.

The Sparks (13-17) would be happy just to make the postseason.

Despite Tuesday's 68-62 victory over Seattle that prevented the Storm from clinching a playoff spot, Los Angeles remains two back of the Silver Stars with four games left for both teams.

"If we take care of business, it'll be hard for us not to make it," Candace Parker said after scoring a season-best 27 points.

However, even if the Sparks win out - including a home game versus San Antonio on Tuesday - the Silver Stars would still have to lose one of their three other games for Los Angeles to grab the final playoff spot.

If San Antonio defeats Seattle on Saturday and Los Angeles loses, the Sparks would have to close 3-0 and the Silver Stars would need to lose their last three contests for coach Joe Bryant's team to clinch based on the second tiebreaker - best conference record.

If they're going to close out their road schedule on a positive note, the Sparks will likely need to do a better job containing Phoenix's frontcourt.

Los Angeles has held league leading scorer Diana Taurasi to 16.7 points per game in three matchups this season - 3.4 below her season average - but Candice Dupree and Taylor have been a handful for Tina Thompson and DeLisha-Milton Jones.

Taylor is averaging a team-best 21.0 points against Los Angeles in 2011 - 3.2 more than her season mark - while Dupree (14.6 points, 8.2 rebounds) is scoring 16.0 points per game with 5.0 boards while the Mercury have dropped two of three, with both losses coming in Los Angeles.

Parker scored 22 in a 98-84 win over the Mercury on June 10, but she missed the last two games against Phoenix, including a 101-82 loss at US Airways Center on July 5, with a torn meniscus in her right knee.

Mercury beat Sparks to clinch playoff spot

Posted Sep 04 2011 1:14AM

PHOENIX (AP) Candice Dupree had 22 points and a franchise-record 19 rebounds to help the Phoenix Mercury clinch a playoff spot with a 93-77 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night.

Diana Taurasi added 24 points for the Mercury (18-13), who won for the third time in four games and remained a half-game behind second-place Seattle going into the final week of the season.

Taurasi was impressed by Dupree's play.

``She controlled the game today on both ends which is hard to do sometimes being a post player,'' Taurasi said. ``She's just unbelievable Every game she plays she plays pretty well. I'm sure its fun for the fans to watch. It was fun for us to watch. That was probably one of the best games of the year for her.''

Mercury coach Corey Gaines agreed.

``She was a beast,'' he said. ``She was going after every rebound. She missed a couple that were just out of her reach. She had some tip-ins and was grabbing with authority both with two hands and one hand.''

Candace Parker had a season-high 32 points for Los Angeles (13-18), which has lost three of four. Kristi Toliver had 23 points and DeLisha Milton-Jones added 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Sparks, two games behind fourth-place San Antonio, finish with three road games - starting with Tuesday night against the Silver Stars. Los Angeles then plays Tulsa on Friday and Chicago on Saturday.

``No telling what is going to happen,'' Los Angeles coach Joe Bryant said. ``We have to play it out. That's what I told the women. Make sure to keep our heads up high. It's not over until it's over.''

Los Angeles, which trailed by eight after the third quarter, pulled to 80-75 with 4:34 remaining. However, Taurasi converted a pair of free throws and then hit a 3-pointer to help secure the win.

Phoenix, which outrebounded Los Angeles 46-27, made four of its last five shots and forced the Sparks into four turnovers while closing the game with a 13-2 run.

Penny Taylor returned after missing the Mercury's last two games due to back spasms, and had 14 points before going out 2 minutes into the second half.

Toliver made her first three 3-pointers, consecutively in the second quarter to erase a 30-23 deficit.

The Sparks jumped out to a 12-2 lead after Phoenix missed 10 of its first 12 shots.

``We were aggressive and we were getting stops, which was the main thing. We were able to build off of our defense,'' Parker said. ``Then Diana got hot and obviously that stopped our run. She's a great player and that's what great players do is step up in those kind of moments. She did that in the beginning and she did that down the stretch as well.''

Phoenix hosts last-place Tulsa on Tuesday, travels to Seattle on Friday and finishes the season at home against first-place Minnesota on Sept. 11.

• Sparks: --
• Mercury: --

• Sparks: --
• Mercury: Sanford

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #38 Lamont Simpson, #53 Jeff Smith, #62 Jeff Wooten
• Attendance: 9620
• Duration: 1:57