SPARKS WIN OVER LIBERTY: GRITTY, NOT PRETTY SPARKS 71, NEW YORK 63.Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of - The Liberty pushed, shoved and banged. So the Sparks pushed, shoved and banged right back. Forced into one of their most physical games this season, the finesse-style Sparks showed they also can play gritty as they defeated the Liberty 71-63 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), held in early September and played under a best-of-five playoff format. The team winning the Eastern Conference Finals earns one of the two seeds in the championship round, with the on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden Current arenas in the National Hockey League Western Conference Eastern Conference . The Sparks outrebounded the Liberty 37-25, and the inside tandem of Lisa Leslie She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship. . Milton scored 17 points, and Leslie had 15. Phillips had 12 points and Whitmore just five. The Milton-Leslie combination was key, but so was Sparks forward Mwadi Mabika Mwadi Mabika (born July 27, 1976 in Kinshasa, Zaire (present Democratic Republic of the Congo)) is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She studied biology and chemistry at the Massamba School in Kinshasa. , who scored a game-high 20 points. So the Sparks have a chance to repeat as WNBA WNBA Women's National Basketball Association WNBA World Ninepin Bowling Association WNBA Wannabe Nasty Boys Association WNBA Women's National Book Association, Inc. WNBA Warszawski Nurt Basketu Amatorskiego champions on Saturday at Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. and go undefeated in the playoffs. But if they do that, it will be in a much more physically demanding series than last year's. ``Maybe this is the way it goes with it being so physical,'' Leslie said. ``I watched the Lakers and when they repeated, it was a very physical series. ... We definitely knew it was going to be that way coming into the series, and we were able to adjust.'' The Sparks won their eighth consecutive game despite missing All-Star guard Tamecka Dixon, who was out with a bruised lower back and strained patella patella (pətĕl`ə): see kneecap. tendon in her right knee. Dixon suffered the injuries when she slipped in the rain as she headed to the morning shootaround. ``It was tough without 'Meek,' '' Leslie said. ``We missed her experience, especially in fast-break opportunities. But at the same time, we missed her presence and spirit and used that to fuel ourselves, to get out there and win this game for her.'' Dixon's absence made the Sparks fall into a grittier game, and they didn't seem to mind it. Latasha Byears Latasha Nashay Byears (born August 12, 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee) is a professional women's basketball player who plays for the Houston Comets in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). , who is regarded as the Sparks' grittiest player, started in Dixon's place and played 34 minutes, notching a game-high 11 rebounds. ``Everybody says it was tough, physical play,'' Byears said. ``But we all grew up playing against men. I'm from the 'hood, and I had to play against guys named Juju, Neckbone and Killer.'' Liberty coach Richie Adubato said Byears' addition gave the Sparks a big lineup, which the home team couldn't match. Milton and Leslie combined to shoot 13 of 23; Phillips and Whitmore combined to shoot just 6 of 22. ``They took our inside game away,'' Adubato said. ``They just collapsed inside. And so, as a result, they took away the game that we have been able to hurt people with.'' Even so, the Liberty stayed close down the stretch. New York received an unlikely star performance from 5-foot-6 guard Becky Hammon, who scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. The Liberty led for most of the first half, and the Sparks took their first lead of the second half, 43-41, when Leslie made two free throws with 15:27 left. After that, the Sparks led the rest of the way, but it was far from a blowout. The shot that sealed the victory came from Milton with 1:09 left. She made a 15-footer that rolled around the rim before finally dropping, giving the Sparks a 66-61 lead. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if I was necessarily the go-to person,'' Milton said. ``I was just in a situation where the ball needed to go up because the shot clock wasn't in our favor.'' Other keys for the Sparks were Mabika, who had five assists with her 20 points, and rookie Nikki Teasley, who had eight points and 11 assists. Teasley also had seven turnovers. As a point guard, Teasley said she didn't have to partake in a lot of the rough play. But she witnessed much of it. ``It's always a physical game with New York,'' Teasley said. ``They aren't the most talented team in this league, but I will say they are one of the more physical teams in the league.'' Teasley then added, ``We'll take an ugly win.'' WNBA FINALS New York at Sparks Game 2, Saturday 12:30 p.m. TV: Ch. 4 SERIES SCHEDULE Game 1, Thursday Sparks 71, New York 63 Game 2, Saturday At Sparks, 12:30 p.m. (Ch. 4) Game 3, Sunday At Sparks, 12:30 p.m. (Ch. 4)* * - if necessary CAPTION(S): photo, 2 boxes Photo: (color) Mwadi Mabika of the victorious Sparks drives past New York's Vickie Johnson in the second half Thursday night in Madison Square Garden. Ed Betz/Associated Press Box: (1) WNBA FINALS (see text) (2) SERIES SCHEDULE (see text) |
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