Insider Preview - Storm vs. Los Angeles

The Sparks have yet to blink. 3-3 on the opening road trip despite the absence of All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw, Los Angeles then won 10 of its next 11 games to emerge atop the Western Conference. Six straight wins pushed the Sparks to 19-5 as they started their trip, and Los Angeles has won its last three games after losing the first game of the trip at Detroit. At 22-6, the Sparks have a two-win advantage on the 20-6 Connecticut Sun for the WNBA's best record and will clinch the top seed in the West with their next win (or a Sacramento loss).

It's an incredible turn from 2005, when at this point in the season Los Angeles was undergoing a coaching change from Henry Bibby to current Coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant and fighting just to make the playoffs. Bryant has made some key strategic changes, aided perhaps by Holdsclaw's early departure. In her absence, Bryant put defensive-minded Jessica Moore in the starting lineup, also making Tamara Moore the starting shooting guard. With more role players in the starting five, Lisa Leslie has been the focus of the offense and has had an MVP-caliber season, while Holdsclaw has emerged as a star sixth woman.

As successful as the Sparks season has been, the Seattle Storm has had Los Angeles' number. Two of the Sparks six losses have come at the hands of the Storm, which has the opportunity to sweep the season series today. Injuries continue to plague the Storm, which played most of the second half of Friday's loss to Detroit without guard Betty Lennox and forward Lauren Jackson as well as center Janell Burse, who remains sidelined because of her left shoulder. The status of Lennox, nursing a sore knee, and Jackson, battling plantar fasciitis, probably won't be known until just before game time. The good news is the Storm has experience beating L.A. despite adversity. The Storm's June 28 win at STAPLES Center came without Jackson, who sat out because of pain in her left shin.

G U A R D S
	The point guards in this game, Sue Bird and Temeka Johnson, are battling for second in the WNBA in assists per game behind former Sparks guard Nikki Teasley, who probably has an insurmountable lead. Bird has held second most of the year, but has dropped lately to 4.78 assists per game, allowing Johnson (4.92) to sneak into second. Johnson's 2.21 assist-to-turnover ratio also ranks second behind Teasley amongst starting point guards. Johnson has 18 assists in two games against the Storm, but has shot just 3-for-15 from the field.
	Did you know? The two starting shooting guards in this game were traded for each other in 2002. Tamara Moore was the centerpiece of Miami's package to land Lennox from Minnesota. A starter for the first time since that 2002 season, Moore is averaging 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game but is valuable primarily for her 5-10 size in the backcourt. Moore has shot a solid 47.2% from the field and had 15 points to lead the Sparks in the last matchup. Lennox hoped to play through her sore knee Friday, but was unable to continue in the second half.
F O R W A R D S
	The Sparks will be without forward Mwadi Mabika for this game because of league suspension after an altercation with San Antonio forward Kendra Wecker on Wednesday. Veteran Murriel Page will likely replace Mabika in the starting lineup. Page is comfortable playing a limited role and has averaged 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds a game this season. Page is not as athletic as Mabika, which could mean an advantage for Iziane Castro Marques, who scored 12 points on Friday against Detroit.
	Jessica Moore, who teamed with Bird and Storm forward Barbara Turner at UConn, is in the Sparks lineup to defend opposing stars. Despite starting 27 of 28 games this season, Moore has averaged just 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Moore has picked up her scoring lately, averaging 6.6 points over the last five games. Jackson eventually beat Moore for 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting in the season opener that matched these teams at KeyArena. Jackson's plantar fasciitis has been unpredictable but painful over the last week and a half.
C E N T E R
	Leslie has struggled with foul trouble against the Storm this season, picking up 11 fouls in 45 minutes of the two games. Leslie still had 24 points in the first matchup, but had just 15 points and four boards in Los Angeles, a big reason why the Storm was able to surprise the Sparks. Leslie leads the WNBA in double-doubles and is in the top five in points, rebounds and blocks per game as well as field-goal percentage. Storm center Tiffani Johnson scored a career-high 15 points on Friday, adding six rebounds.
B E N C H
	Holdsclaw's (right) averages of 15.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game are the lowest marks of her career, but presumably she's willing to make the trade-off as she looks for an elusive WNBA title to match the three she won at the University of Tennessee. Holdsclaw checks into the game to change the face of the Sparks and give them a go-to player when Leslie is on the bench. Forward Christi Thomas recently returned after being sidelined by torn cartilage in her left knee. Thomas is a strong reserve, averaging 6.5 points and 5.9 rebounds on 49.6% shooting. Doneeka Hodges-Lewis and rookie Lisa Willis provide perimeter shooting, but they are hitting just 28.6% and 31.6% from 3-point range, respectively, this season. Storm reserve Ashley Robinson (left) also had a career high on Friday, grabbing 13 rebounds before fouling out. Robinson played a key role in keeping the Storm in the game in the second half. Turner had 13 points and four rebounds. Center Cisti Greenwalt left Friday's game after suffering a grade-two concussion but could return today.

TEAM LEADERS JACKSON LESLIE Jackson 18.9 PPG Leslie 20.4 Jackson 8.0 RPG Leslie 9.9 Bird 4.8 APG Johnson 4.9 Bird 1.7 SPG Johnson 1.5 Jackson 1.4 BPG Leslie 1.7 Bird 31.4 MPG Leslie 30.6

Three of the Storm's first seven 90-point games in franchise history came against Los Angeles.

LAST TIME

With Jackson staying home to rest her sore shin, the Storm traveled to Los Angeles for its second back-to-back of 2006. Going up against a team previously undefeated at home, the Storm jumped out to a 39-28 lead by halftime. The Storm benefited from foul trouble for Sparks star Leslie, who played just 2:20 combined in the second and third quarters. That allowed the Storm to push its lead as large as 17. Los Angeles rallied in the final period, but the Storm held on 75-67. Lennox carried the Storm, scoring a season-high 27 points on 11-for-21 shooting. Tamara Moore led the Sparks with 16 points.

INJURIES

Storm - Center Cisti Greenwalt (concussion) is probable. Guard Betty Lennox (right knee contusion) and forward Lauren Jackson are questionable. Forwards Shaunzinski Gortman (torn right ACL) and Wendy Palmer (partially torn left Achilles tendon) and center Janell Burse (left shoulder subluxation) are out.

Los Angeles - Forward Mwadi Mabika (league suspension) is out.