SPARKS PREVIEW: FAMILIAR GROUND FOR THE SPARKS CHAMPS IN ANOTHER MUST-WIN GAME.Byline: Joe Stevens Staff WriterThe Sparks Sparks, city (1990 pop. 53,367), Washoe co., W Nev., just E of Reno; inc. 1905. The Southern Pacific RR was the major employer until the dieselization of railroad engines forced the closing (1957) of the railroad shops there. took an early flight back to Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. on Saturday, tried to leave their loss in Sacramento and focus on today's Game 2 of the WNBA's Western Conference finals. For the second consecutive week, the Sparks find themselves on the brink of elimination, needing two victories to advance in the playoffs. Despite being down 1-0 in the best-of-3 series, the Sparks don't have a negative attitude. The Sparks remain confident because they've shown they can overcome a 1-0 series deficit, having recovered from a Game 1 loss to Minnesota in the first round to advance to the conference finals. ``We're still confident in the fact that this series is ours,'' Sparks forward DeLisha Milton said. ``Right now, the only thing we can concentrate on is to get one win. I would hope that we would have the upper hand, being at home, having home-court advantage, being in an area we're comfortable with, as far as the court and its surroundings.'' Unlike when they won their past two championships, the Sparks have been burdened with inconsistency in·con·sis·ten·cy n. pl. in·con·sis·ten·cies 1. The state or quality of being inconsistent. 2. Something inconsistent: many inconsistencies in your proposal. this season. That inconsistency popped up again in Game 1 when they started poorly and were outrebounded 18-9 in the first half. ``I felt like our team didn't come out the first half as strong as we could have, and it was hard being down and trying to come back,'' Sparks center Lisa Leslie Still, by the time the Sparks came back, they could not sustain a lead. So the big hope for the Sparks this afternoon is that they won't fall into another early hole. If Game 2 has a similar style as Game 1, then it will be another inside battle. Sacramento's front line of Yolanda Griffith Yolanda Evette Griffith (born March 1, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. She is sometimes called by her nicknames: "Yo" and "Yo-Yo". , Tangela Smtih and DeMya Walker DeMya Chakheia Walker (born November 28, 1977 in Mount Holly, New Jersey) is a professional basketball player from the United States. She currently plays for the Sacramento Monarchs in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). each scored in double digits Double Digits was a pricing game on the American television game show, The Price Is Right. Played from April 20, 1973 through May 18, 1973's show, it was played for a car and used small prizes. . For the Sparks, their center - Leslie - and power forward Milton combined for 45 of the team's 69 points. The Sparks' biggest weakness is depth, and it was obvious again in Game 1. They got only 18 minutes and one basket from their reserves. One major difference with Game 2 is that there is no margin for error. ``We know we've been in this situation before with the first series,'' Sparks guard Nikki Teasley Nikki Teasley (born March 22, 1979 in Washington, D.C.) is a basketball player for the Washington Mystics in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. said. ``So hopefully, we learned from that, and we'll come out with intensity and win these next two games.'' CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Lisa Leslie and the Sparks have to improve their rebounding and defense if they are to beat Sacramento today in game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press Box: SPARKS vs. SACRAMENTO - Joe Stevens |
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