Silver Stars-Sparks Preview

Posted Sep 26 2012 8:59PM

The Los Angeles Sparks appear to be the team that will present the biggest challenge to the Minnesota Lynx's quest to repeat as WNBA champions.

Los Angeles, though, cannot afford to look past a first-round matchup with a San Antonio Silver Stars club that gave it fits during the regular season.

The second-seeded Sparks have home-court advantage in this best-of-three Western Conference semifinal series against San Antonio, but Game 1 on Thursday night will not be played on the court Los Angeles went 16-1 on this season.

Due to "Batman Live" taking place at Staples Center, this game will be played at USC Galen Center. The Sparks' only loss at Staples this season was 91-71 to San Antonio on June 24.

Los Angeles (24-10) had its best season in six years and boasts a starting lineup with five double-figure scorers that account for more than 80 percent of the team's points.

The Sparks are led by Candace Parker, who played a full season for the first time since she was a rookie in 2008, and Kristi Toliver, who is a strong candidate for the league's Most Improved Player award. Nneka Ogwumike, this year's No. 1 overall pick draft, also provides a strong defensive presence to complement Parker.

Toliver led Los Angeles with 17.5 points and 4.9 assists per game, Parker averaged 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a league-best 2.3 blocks, and Ogwumike topped all rookies with 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds a game.

"This is what we're supposed to do. We haven't done anything yet," Parker said. "At Tennessee, making the NCAA tournament or making it to the Final Four was not enough. We were disappointed at the end of the season if we lost. That's the mentality we're bringing to this organization again."

The Silver Stars (21-13) won three of four against the Sparks this season, though their victories all came in a two-week stretch in June. Los Angeles posted a 101-77 victory at home Aug. 23, ending the Silver Stars' franchise-record 12-game winning streak, and closed the season with five wins in six games.

"The last few weeks they've been peaking at the right time," San Antonio veteran guard Becky Hammon said. "We just want to come in, focused and be who we are. Defensively we've got to be on our toes with them. They have so many great 1-on-1 players, so it's going to take a team effort for us."

San Antonio's season was highlighted by a 15-2 stretch midway through that included the 12-game win streak. The Silver Stars were inconsistent before and after that run, though, and lost seven of their last 11.

Now, they'll have to turn things around if they want to get past Los Angeles and advance in the postseason for the first time since reaching the WNBA finals in 2008.

"During that stretch when we had 12 in a row we were firing on all cylinders, and that's where we want to be," said Hammon, whose 14.7 points per game were second on the team to Sophia Young's 16.3.

Game 2 will be Saturday at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio because of a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at the AT&T Center, where the Silver Stars went 12-5 this season.

Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled to take place Monday night at Staples Center.

Sparks beat Silver Stars 93-86 in playoff opener

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Sep 28 2012 1:56AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Kristi Toliver is one of the WNBA's best players. She also knows how to keep a secret.

Toliver tied her career high with 29 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 45 seconds remaining, and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 93-86 in the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals on Thursday night.

Toliver accepted the league's Most Improved Player award before the game - a presentation that surprised teammate Candace Parker.

``I want to put out there how upset I am that Kristi didn't tell me and I found out with the crowd,'' Parker quipped before adding, ``It was a no-brainer. She put herself this season as one of the top players in the league.''

Toliver defended herself, saying: ``I found out in a call from the team president. She said, `You can only tell your mommy and your daddy.' I follow directions.''

``I want to be a great player and I know what it takes,'' she said. ``I'm happy I'm on my way to becoming one of the top players in the league.''

Parker, runner-up for the league's MVP award, added 25 points and Alana Beard had 18 for the second-seeded Sparks, who improved to 17-1 at home this season. The game was played at Galen Center, Southern California's home arena, because of a scheduling conflict at Staples Center.

Becky Hammons led the third-seeded Silver Stars with 19 points. Danielle Adams had 17 and Danielle Robinson finished with 16.

Game 2 is Saturday in San Antonio at Freeman Coliseum. The Silver Stars are being forced out of AT&T Center by a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.

San Antonio won three of the teams' four regular-season meetings, with the Sparks winning the last one 101-77.

``We know we can beat this team,'' Adams said. ``Our motivation is high. Our drive is high. The next two games are going to be very good.''

The Sparks were helped by a 32-11 edge at the free throw line. Toliver made all 10 of her attempts, while Parker hit 7 of 8.

``It was kind of foul central at the end,'' Hammons said. ``When you look at the free throw line, that's the game. We gave that one away. That's definitely a missed opportunity for us.''

The Sparks dominated the final quarter after trailing through the first three periods. Jenna O'Hea's basket gave them the lead early in the fourth as part of an 11-0 run that put the Sparks ahead 78-69.

The Silver Stars answered with a 9-2 run to tie it at 80.

From there, the Sparks closed on a 13-6 run, including 10 consecutive free throws. Toliver made two, Parker hit six in a row, and O'Hea had two to end the game.

``I've got to look at the tape and see why we fouled so much,'' San Antonio coach Dan Hughes said. ``We fouled least in the WNBA this season.

``It's the first game I've ever coached Becky and Sophia (Young) where they didn't shoot a free throw.''

The Silver Stars led by 10 points late in the third before the Sparks rallied to cut their deficit to 67-65 going into the fourth.

``We got a little undisciplined defensively,'' Hammons said. ``They hit some tough shots. We didn't get to the free throw line much. We just didn't get awarded for the aggressiveness.''

Parker sat out for a stretch in the third, and it wasn't to catch her breath.

``Coach was upset with me for my lack of rebounding and she should have been,'' she said. ``I just wasn't boxing out.''

The Silver Stars led 44-40 at the break behind 13 points by Adams, who helped them dominate the paint 26-14 in the half. Neither team led by more than five points, with the lead changing hands 15 times in the early going.

``We need to come out with more aggression and energy,'' Parker said. ``We were kind of dead the first couple of quarters.''

Clippers teammates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, along with Olympic 200-meter champion Allyson Felix, sat courtside for the Sparks' first playoff game since 2010. Former Sparks coach Michael Cooper was with his current USC women's players.

• Silver Stars: --
• Sparks: --

• Silver Stars: --
• Sparks: --

• Lead Changes: 18
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Galen Center, LosAngeles, CA
• Officials: #39 Michael Price, #13 Cameron Inouye, #53 Jeff Smith
• Attendance: 5013
• Duration: 2:05