Mercury-Sparks Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jun 07 2012 1:34PM

The Phoenix Mercury couldn't keep up with the Los Angeles Sparks last month - and that was with Diana Taurasi in the lineup.

With Taurasi day to day because of a left hip flexor strain, the visiting Mercury could be short-handed Friday night when they try to end the Sparks' three-game winning streak.

Los Angeles (5-1) won 99-88 in Phoenix on May 26 as Candace Parker had 27 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Sparks rookie Nneka Ogwumike added 22 points.

Taurasi scored 18 for the Mercury (2-4), but she hasn't played since. The WNBA's defending scoring champion is out indefinitely, having played just two games this season.

Phoenix is 1-3 without Taurasi and could have trouble improving that record against a Los Angeles team which is quickly gaining confidence behind Parker and Ogwumike.

Since their win over the Mercury, the Sparks have pulled out two nail-biters - 76-75 over Tulsa on May 29 and 67-65 over Seattle on Sunday. After Kristi Toliver hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against the Shock, Ogwumike scored with 2.5 seconds left to lift Los Angeles over the Storm.

Ogwumike, the top overall pick in this year's draft, leads all rookies with 13.2 points per game and is second among first-year players with 5.7 rebounds per game.

"Nneka's one of those players that she's going to bring a lot of energy and she's going to do a lot of things that don't really show up on the stat sheet," Parker said. "I think that's the key about her."

Parker has posted three straight double-doubles for Los Angeles, which hasn't won four in a row since September 2009.

Phoenix's only two victories have come against Tulsa - the league's only winless team - and its four losses have all been by double-digit margins.

The Mercury snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-72 win over the Shock on Sunday despite nearly blowing a 12-point lead in the third quarter.

DeWanna Bonner finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds while rookie Sammy Prahalis added 19 points and six assists. She converted a late three-point play after Tulsa pulled within 69-66.

Bonner averaged 20.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in three games last week to earn Western Conference player of the week. A three-time Sixth Woman of the Year, Bonner has moved into a starting role this season because of injuries.

"DeWanna has stepped up," coach Corey Gaines said. "She's playing four positions right now."

Besides being without Taurasi, the Mercury also are playing without Penny Taylor (torn ACL). Bonner said it's like undergoing training camp all over again as the team tries to adjust to a new look.

"We've got to find ourselves without them," Bonner said. "We've had to start from the beginning."

The Mercury lost both visits to Staples Center last year.

Ogwumike and Parker lift Sparks to rout of Mercury

Posted Jun 09 2012 2:06AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Nneka Ogwumike had season highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds and Candace Parker added 23 points and 10 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Sparks defeat the Phoenix Mercury 90-74 on Friday night.

The Sparks (6-1) have won four straight and are off to their best start since 2003. The 16-point victory was their largest of the season.

Parker recorded her fourth straight double-double and matched a season-high with four assists.

DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 12 of her 21 points in the second half and hit a 3-pointer after Phoenix climbed back to seven points down with 6:30 remaining.

She acknowledged that the Sparks' wins have come against teams that are a combined 3-17, but she senses something building.

``It's definitely something different than what we've experienced the previous years,'' Milton-Jones said. ``There's a different energy about this team and a different type of identity. I feel like our intensity level on the defensive end is something that is more consistent . it's been carrying us this far.

``It definitely pleases me to know we're growing on the go because there's a lot of newness about this team. We're able to grow as we go.''

A common thread in L.A.'s success is defense and the dynamic between Ogwumike, Parker and guard Kristi Toliver. The three helped the Sparks achieve 20 assists on 34 field goals made. Toliver had 14 points and a season high nine assists.

``With every day and practice, and games, we feel like we can understand each other's games and I think it's finally connecting,'' Ogwumike said. ``These last couple of games have really shown that. I just try to play off of them. They're great players to play with. It's actually kind of nice. It's stress-free, because they're so talented and they're really smart players along with everybody else. I think we're doing a good job of understanding each other's tendencies.''

The Mercury fell to 2-5. Its two wins are against winless Tulsa and all five losses are by double digits. Phoenix is 1-4 without Diana Taurasi, the former MVP who is out indefinitely with a left hip flexor strain. Penny Taylor is out for the season with a knee injury.

How difficult is it without Taurasi and Taylor?

``It's like driving a car with two wheels,'' Phoenix coach Corey Gaines. ``Does that make sense? It's kind of hard. I don't know what you can do.''

Gaines said the game plan is simply to ``Try to be in the game and play as hard as we can.''

The Mercury (2-5) have only beaten Tulsa twice this season while all five losses are by double digits. Phoenix is 1-4 without Diana Taurasi, the former MVP who is out indefinitely with a left hip flexor strain.

Charde Houston led Phoenix with 22 points and made four of five 3-point attempts. DeWanna Bonner added 18 points and Candice Dupree had 13.

Bonner made consecutive 3-point baskets to pull Phoenix to 73-66 but the Mercury got no closer. Milton-Jones sank a baseline 3-pointer for an 81-68 lead. Parker took a no-look pass from Kristi Toliver for the last of her points for an 88-71 lead.

Phoenix trimmed a 22-point deficit to nine after three quarters. Houston made a pair of 3-pointers and Dupree completed a three-point play and made a jumper in the final four minutes of the third.

Parker finished a 13-0 run with a pair of free throws and a layup late in the first half as the Sparks took a 43-28 lead into halftime. Phoenix was held without a field goal in the final 4:52 of the opening half. Bonner was 0 for 5 and Dupree was 2 for 11 as the Mercury shot 28.1 percent from the field.

Sparks forward Alana Beard was listed as ``DNP-Coach's decision'' but coach Carol Ross said after the game that Beard is day-to-day with a ``tweaked'' hamstring. Beard started all six previous games.

Coco Miller made her Sparks debut. Los Angeles on Friday signed Miller for backcourt help. Sharnee Zoll was expected to contribute at point guard but Zoll tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee before the season and the Sparks waived her Wednesday.

Miller played for Ross the past three seasons in Atlanta when Ross was an assistant coach for the Dream.

• Mercury: --
• Sparks: --

• Mercury: --
• Sparks: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #38 Lamont Simpson, #13 Cameron Inouye, #43 Brenda Pantoja
• Attendance: 11198
• Duration: 1:51