Sparks-Sun Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jun 12 2012 4:34PM

The Los Angeles Sparks are off to their best start in nine years, but their wins have come against lackluster opponents. That could change Wednesday night.

The Sparks will try to extend their win streak to five when they visit Eastern Conference co-leader Connecticut, which is seeking a season-high fourth straight victory.

A healthy Candace Parker and No. 1 overall draft pick Nneka Ogwumike have helped Los Angeles (6-1) quickly put behind a pair of subpar seasons. The Sparks were 13-21 in 2010 and 15-19 last year while missing the playoffs for the second time in 13 seasons.

Ogwumike, leading all rookies with 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, posted career highs of 25 points and 12 boards in a 90-74 win over Phoenix on Friday.

Parker, who has dealt with shoulder and knee injuries over the past two seasons, recorded her fourth straight double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

"There's a different energy about this team and a different type of identity," veteran forward DeLisha Milton-Jones said.

The Sparks are off to their best start since matching their own WNBA record by winning their first nine games in 2003, but their wins have come over three teams who are a combined 3-19. Los Angeles suffered its only defeat May 24 to defending WNBA champion Minnesota, which has tied the Sparks' 9-0 record start.

Connecticut (6-1) also suffered its only loss to the Lynx, 85-72 on June 1, but has bounced back by winning its last three by an average of 91.7 points.

Tina Charles became the first WNBA player to record 50 career double-doubles in 75 games during a 92-73 rout of visiting Atlanta on Sunday, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds. She also set a franchise mark with her 19th consecutive double-digit scoring performance.

"(I'm) just playing hard, just trying to get a win," Charles said. "That's just my motivation out there. Just trying to get a win and doing what I can each possession."

Kara Lawson added a season-high 21 points as Connecticut shot 61.7 percent, the second-best performance in franchise history.

With Parker not playing in either meeting in 2011, Charles took advantage to lead the Sun to a season sweep of the Sparks, averaging 21.0 points and 18.0 rebounds.

She matched a career high with 23 rebounds and scored 22 points in a 79-76 home victory over Los Angeles on June 28.

The Sun haven't won four straight since July 15-26, while the Sparks are trying to win five in a row for the first time since a six-game run Aug. 15-25, 2009.

Parker leads Sparks in 87-81 win over Sun

Posted Jun 13 2012 11:50PM

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Candace Parker did a little of everything to help Los Angeles beat Connecticut.

Parker had 33 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks to lead the Sparks to an 87-81 victory over the Sun on Wednesday night.

``Typical world-class,'' Connecticut's Kara Lawson said. ``There's not many people in the world much better. ... She had her way with us tonight.''

Parker's biggest play of the night came with about 1:10 to go when, with the Sun leading 81-80, she blocked a layup attempt by the Sun center Tina Charles on a fast break.

``I actually didn't see (Charles) when Kara was dribbling, to be honest with you,'' Parker said. ``I just tried to go put (up) my left (hand) and get it.''

Asjha Jones fouled the Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike as Los Angeles the Sparks brought the ball up and the rookie made both her free throws to put the Sparks ahead for good with 1:05 to go.

The Sun missed three shots on their next possession and Ogwumike converted a three-point play to extend the Sparks' lead to 85-81. Parker closed the scoring with two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining.

``It's a tremendous win,'' Sparks coach Carol Ross said. ``Anytime you come to Connecticut and you beat the Sun, you have done something because most teams are not able to accomplish that. Connecticut is such a good team and they have a great home court and for us to be able to come in and stay resilient ... We just kept battling and we felt very fortunate to get out of here with a win.''

Ogwumike, the top pick in this year's WNBA draft, had 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting and grabbed five rebounds for Los Angeles (7-1).

``She's the type of player that when I miss a shot, I know she's going to get the rebound,'' Parker said. ``I'm more comfortable taking shots, and I know that when she gets the ball, it's going to be a good play.''

Los Angeles reserve Jantel Lavender added 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

Charles had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead Connecticut (6-2). Lawson had 16 points and four assists and Jones added 10 points and eight rebounds. Renee Montgomery scored 12 points and Tan White had 11 to give the Sun five scorers in double figures.

The Sparks shot 46 percent (33 for 72), including Parker's 12-for-22 effort. The Sun shot just 33 percent (28 of 84), with Charles going 8 for 26.

``Their length played a part, certainly, when we drove,'' Lawson said. ``When we were decisive offensively, good things happened. When we were passive, or waiting for something to happen, and when they went to zone, it was not good.''

Connecticut trailed 80-75 when Lawson and Charles made two free throws each 29 seconds apart to pull the Sun within a point with 2:00 to go.

Charles' putback of her own miss - Connecticut's only basket on 15 shots over the final 6:10 of the game - put the Sun ahead 33 seconds later.

Ogwumike's three-point play tied the score at 75-all with 5:03 remaining. Parker followed with a 3-pointer and a putback to give the Sparks an 80-75 edge with 3:08 left.

``We just didn't shoot the ball, nobody had a great shooting night for us,'' Sun coach Mike Thibault said. ``We just seemed to rush things in the second half. We couldn't catch it, we fumbled it a little bit, I don't know if the length bothered us, but we were just in a hurry. They did a good job with their zone change and their momentum of the game. ... We got the lead back and then we just couldn't sustain it.''

Connecticut led 45-40 at halftime and scored six consecutive points to extend their lead to eight a little more than 2 minutes into the third quarter.

The Sparks scored the next 10 points to take a 54-52 lead with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the quarter.

The teams played close the rest of the way, with Connecticut's four-point lead late in the third the largest lead for either team until the final minutes.

• Sparks: --
• Sun: --

• Sparks: Toliver
• Sun: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 12

• Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
• Officials: #4 Sue Blauch, #31 Amy Bonner, #45 Tom Mauer
• Attendance: 6058
• Duration: 2:06