June 22, 2008: Scoreboard | Video Play of the Day | Today in the WNBA Archive

PHOTO OF THE DAY It was a career performance for Ivory Latta. The second-year project tallied a career-high 26 points and 10 assists, but Atlanta couldn't get past her former team, Detroit, Sunday. Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images

Hollywood Tandem Now Share More In Common Parker Joins Leslie in Special Feat: It’s like watching your favorite actor throughout his/her career. You watch his/her first performance and are impressed. You witness his/her second performance and are stirred. It just gets better and better. It’s very much like the careers of Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker. Every time you watch them perform, they look like improved players. During the Sparks' triumph over the Fever on Sunday, Parker joined Leslie as the only two players in league history to dunk in a game. The rookie sensation flushed home a tenacious one-handed jam late in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 points. Meanwhile, Leslie, who dunked back in 2002 and is ranked No. 1 in Adam Hirshfield’s Race to the MVP player ratings, once again didn’t disappoint with an outstanding 17-point, nine-rebound performance. The two U.S. Olympians are also statistically the two best individual rebounders in the WNBA this year. ALSO MAKING HEADLINES ... As Sweet as a Big Apple, As Hot as a Garden: If you tuned in to NBA TV on Sunday for the matchup between the Mercury and Liberty, you probably were expecting an offensive eruption. It’s like when you go to the movie theater for a horror flick and expect to hear that familiar spooky background music when something revolting is about to happen. Sometimes, however, those spine-chilling sounds lead to a breakthrough rather than an anticipated outcome. This, moreover, is what happened during Sunday’s game when it was New York that displayed offensive brilliance rather than Phoenix. The Liberty set a franchise record with 105 points and limited the Mercury to a first-half season low 30 points as they cruised to a convincing triumph. Diana Taurasi managed to record 21 points to eclipse teammate Cappie Pondexter for the league lead in scoring as Phoenix, which scored 102 and 112 in its past two games, hit on only 4-of-19 from downtown. Battle WHAT THEY'RE SAYING "When I caught the ball and there was an open lane, it was a good opportunity. I'm happy that I was able to do it in Los Angeles in front of the home fans." -- Candace Parker, after becoming the second player in WNBA history to dunk in a game during L.A.'s victory over Indiana on Sunday. Parker

WHO'S HOT Tiffany Jackson, Liberty 21 pts, 8-8 FG, 5-7 FT 105-72 win vs. Mercury Cheryl Ford, Shock 20 pts, 8-13 FG, 4-5 FT 97-76 win at Dream Lisa Leslie, Sparks 17 pts, 7-11 FG 77-63 win vs. Fever

Jackson

WHO'S NOT Kelly Mazzante, Mercury 1-6 FG, 4 pts 105-72 loss at Liberty Cathy Joens, Sky 1-6 FG, 3 pts 82-70 loss at Monarchs Tan White, Fever 0-4 FG, 0 pts 77-63 loss at Sparks

Mazzante

WHO'S ON TAP Tuesday's Games ... Mercury at Mystics, 7 p.m. ET Shock at Sun, 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV Monarchs at Fever, 7 p.m. ET Liberty at Lynx, 8 p.m. ET Comets at Silver Stars, 9 p.m. ET Storm at Sparks, 10:30 p.m. ET

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Thomas

WHEELING AND DEALING LaToya Thomas hopes another change in scenery will help revitalize her career. On Sunday, the Shock traded the 2003 No. 1 overall pick to the Lynx for Eshaya Murphy. Thomas, who is the all-time scoring leader in Mississippi State history for both men and women with 2,981 career points, has bounced around in her five-plus seasons in the WNBA. After becoming the Rockers’ single-season rebounding leader in her first season in the league, the four-time Kodak All-American moved on to San Antonio followed by Los Angeles and after a trade with Atlanta, ended up in Detroit this season. The Storm, meanwile, also added another piece to their bench by acquiring second-year project Camille Little from the Dream.

SHINING OFF THE BENCH Some people forget that Crystal Kelly was the first player in Western Kentucky University history to have her jersey retired while still being an active player. Kelly, the all-time scoring leader in school history for both men and women, has been an effective role player in her first season in the WNBA for the Monarchs. In fact, she helped Sacramento weather a late Chicago flurry and hang on to its sixth victory of the season and 200th in club history on Sunday. Kelly came off the bench and pitched in 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal for the winners. Reserve Chasity Melvin, meanwhile, recorded 10 points for the Sky.

Kelly