        |
|
 |
2001 WNBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS LOS ANGELES (1) vs. SACRAMENTO (2)
July 19, 2001
Leslie had 23 points and 14 rebounds, dominating her matchup with Yolanda Griffith, as the Sparks beat Sacramento 83-68 Thursday night for their ninth straight victory.
The Sparks, who improved the league's best record to 18-3, used several lengthy runs and shot nearly 60 percent after halftime to easily win their fifth straight road game. In their first trip of the season to Sacramento, they proved their lofty record is well earned.
"I think we've developed what championship teams need to develop, and that's a killer instinct," Sparks coach Michael Cooper said. "We took another step to where we want to go."
The Monarchs put a heavy emphasis on the game as a measuring stick for their revitalized play since coach Sonny Allen retired on June 25. They won six of their first seven games under new coach Maura McHugh, but except for a first-half rally, the Monarchs were ill-prepared to match Los Angeles.
Leslie and her teammates held Griffith, the Monarchs' leading scorer, to 16 points and seven rebounds. Constantly hounded by Leslie and her teammates, Griffith managed just nine shots in 39 minutes, and she wasn't her usual dominant self on the offensive boards.
July 25, 2001
Mwadi Mabika scored 18 points and Latasha Byears, starting in place of Leslie, had 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Sparks beat the Sacramento Monarchs 80-78 Wednesday.
The Sparks extended their winning streak to 11 games in front of 11,819 at Staples Center, the largest home crowd since the team's first game in 1997.
"I think the fans were more concerned than we were," DeLisha Milton said. "Coach (Michael) Cooper told us he heard some of them say, 'We hope the Sparks can pull this out.' But we're sitting in here like, 'Little do they know we still have a team full of threats."'
Milton and Ukari Figgs each added 15 points for the Sparks (20-3).
Leslie, who had played in 98 straight games, hyperextended her right knee in an 85-79 victory over Seattle on Sunday.
August 2, 2001
But Leslie talked herself into a good game in time for the Sparks to beat the Sacramento Monarchs 67-62 Thursday night for their 14th consecutive victory and WNBA-record 18th in a row at home.
Leslie scored 23 points -- including 11 in a row in the second half -- and hit the winning free throw with 1:29 remaining.
"I didn't want to play basketball today," she said. "I should've been more mentally prepared. I found a way to dig down and not let this moment pass me by. That's the difference between me last year and this year."
The Sparks trailed by 11 in the first half and by 10 in the second half before rallying to tie twice in the final three minutes in front of 8,554 at Staples Center.
Copyright 2002 WNBA Media Ventures, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of
WNBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. By
accessing any information beyond this page, you agree to abide by the
WNBA.com Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Employment opportunities
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
