SPARKS: CAN'T TOUCH THEM L.A. SLOPPY BUT STAYS UNDEFEATED SPARKS 63, SACRAMENTO 61.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

A smoky haze descended upon the Staples Center court after a pregame ceremony in which the Sparks received their 2002 championship rings. MC Hammer performed and pyrotechnic sparks flew from each basket, causing a haze to linger for most of the first half.

After that, it was the Sparks who looked as if they were in a haze.

Even so, it didn't matter that the Sparks committed 26 turnovers and that star Lisa Leslie was saddled with foul problems throughout the second half. The Sparks still defeated the Sacramento Monarchs 63-61 in front of 10,219 Thursday night.

The Sparks' improved to 5-0 after winning their home opener.

``We were just moving too fast,'' Sparks coach Michael Cooper said of the slow start. ``We just weren't patient enough. I'm glad we got this one out of our system.''

The turnovers seemed never-ending until the final 5:58, the point after which the Sparks didn't commit any. They avoided tying a team record of 27 turnovers and were poised enough to make 4 of 5 free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win.

The Monarchs pulled to within 60-59 with 1:23 left when Ruthie Bolton made a 3-point shot, which was Sacramento's only field goal in the final four minutes.

After Leslie rushed a shot and missed it, Sacramento's DeMya Walker had an open layup with 11 seconds left but missed. The layup would have given Sacramento the lead, but instead the Monarchs were forced to foul and the Sparks took control.

It was such an off night for the Sparks they nearly gave the game away with 3.3 seconds left holding a 63-59 lead.

Sacramento's Ticha Penicheiro made a layup off a lengthy inbounds pass and was fouled with 1.6 seconds left. She deliberately missed her free throw, and teammate Kara Lawson got the rebound. But she missed a short jump shot that would have sent the game into overtime.

``I think there was a lot of emotion in the pregame,'' Tamecka Dixon said, referring to the ring ceremony. ``There was just a lot of hoopla surrounding the game, and I think it showed. We came out jittery, and that showed in the turnovers.''

Dixon might have been the least jittery of the Sparks. She scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half and had just one turnover. Mwadi Mabika also had 15 points but also committed eight turnovers.

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Photo:

Nicky McCrimmon, right, drives past Ticha Penicheiro during the Sparks' victory Thursday.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News