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2001 WNBA Playoffs LOS ANGELES (1) vs. HOUSTON (4)
May 28, 2001
The only champions the WNBA has ever known, the Comets celebrated their fourth straight league title with pregame ceremonies Monday and then almost won their season opener despite missing two of their stars. But Latasha Byears clinched Los Angeles' 66-63 victory with a layup with four seconds to play.
"I'm just happy to be part of this team," said Byears, who scored 15 points. "I'm getting a new start. I just want to contribute, rebounding and doing other things."
The Comets, playing without superstars Cynthia Cooper (retired) and Sheryl Swoopes (injured), still made a game of it, pulling within 64-63 with 1:06 to play.
On the final shot, Byears came out of a scramble under the Sparks basket and made the winning layup. Byears also led the Sparks with 10 rebounds.
Lisa Leslie added 15 points for Los Angeles, which avenged a sweep by the Comets in last season's playoffs.
June 21, 2001
Janeth Arcain hit two baskets in the final 22 seconds and Tina Thompson scored a career-high 29 points as the Comets ended the Los Angeles Sparks' season-opening, WNBA-record, nine-game winning streak with a 69-65 victory.
"This is very satisfying. This really makes the other teams take a look at us and say, 'Hey they're still up there,'" Thompson said.
Houston lost to the Sparks in the season opener 66-63 and then won five in a row. The Comets had been idle the past 10 days because of repairs at Compaq Center from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison.
The Comets (6-1) trailed 63-62 when Arcain hit a turnaround jumper with 22 seconds left that put Houston in the lead 64-63.
Coquese Washington sank two free throws with eight seconds showing and as time ticked off the final second, Arcain broke free and hit a three-point basket. She finished with 17 points and had five assists.
August 11, 2001
L.A. beat the Comets 65-54 Saturday, extending their winning streak to 18 games. That's a WNBA record.
The Comets used zone defense in the first 30 minutes to contain Leslie. The league's second-leading scorer was plagued by fouls and finished with seven points in 23 minutes, equaling her season low.
"Its the first time we've seen 30 minutes of a zone," Leslie said. "I thought we adjusted very well, especially in the second half. It allowed them to triple-team me inside. They wanted to shut down our inside game. They wanted to force us to beat them from the outside and we did."
Los Angeles got its biggest lead, 47-34, with 11:41 to play after Leslie made a nine-foot turnaround jump shot and completed the three-point play with a free throw.
Leslie did not return to the game after picking up her fifth foul with 9:08 to play and the Sparks leading, 47-38.
Forward Mwadi Mabika and backup center Latasha Byears compensated. Mabika scored 22 points, one short of a season-high. Byears pulled down a career-high equaling 17 rebounds
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