WNBA playoffs: Minnesota Lynx at Los Angeles Sparks [R]

This wasn't the same Lynx team that got chased out of Staples a week ago.
The Lynx were 0-4 during the regular season against the Sparks but three of
those losses were by respectively 3 points, 1 point, and 4 points. People
forget that. A two point win over the Sparks by the Lynx shouldn't be
considered a major upset and this 11 point loss to the Sparks was really
closer than the score would indicate.

This time, the Lynx had the look of a veteran outfit that knew how to play
the Sparks and give them a real run for their money. Sheri Sam, Teresa
Edwards, and Katie Smith aren't players that were playing NCAAW basketball
last March. A twenty-one or twenty-two point lead really isn't
insurmountable the way they were pressuring all over the court and forcing
turnovers and mistakes. This time the Sparks saw a twenty-two point lead in
the second half whittled down to eight points with two minutes left. The
difference was that Nikki Teasley was still in the game, unlike Thursday
evening when she got hurt in the first half. The Lynx really put the
pressure on, but Teasley is one outstanding ballhandler. She would put on a
real dribbling exhibition with Svetlana Abrosimova or Sheri Sam guarding
her. It was a lot of fun to watch. Teasley did get called for palming the
ball once though.

The Sparks, for better or worst, live and die with Lisa Leslie. She is the
best defensive player in the WNBA, bar none, and one of the best offensive
players. The Sparks are best team in the WNBA with her and a pretty
mediocre WNBA team without her. The Lynx were able to get back into the
game when LL had to leave the game with 5 fouls with a lot of time
remaining. Fortunately for the Sparks,
they were able to hold off the Lynx in the end, unlike the first game.

The third and deciding game of the series is set for Monday night at
Staples. I forsee no blowout by the Sparks. If LL gets into real foul
trouble, the Lynx could win the game and the series.

Not a pretty game much of the time. At times, particularly in the second
half, it got real ugly. The Sparks held off the Lynx, won the deciding game
and the series. Now they get to sit and watch the Monarchs and the Comets
finish their series.

Minnesota played too frantically in the first half, forcing shots and doing
other unforgivable things. Lisa Leslie managed to stay out of foul trouble
and stay in the game. She picked up three fouls in the first half but only
one in the second. Cooper pretty much stuck with his starters for the
duration of the game. Mabika and Dixon both played 40 minutes, Milton and
Teasley played 39 minutes, Leslie played "only" 38 minutes. Serio, on the
other hand, subbed very liberally thoughout the game. Katie Smith was the
only Lynx to play the entire game. Tamika Williams played 36 minutes and was
the only truly effective player for the Lynx, going 7-12 from the field.
She ended up playing center for the Lynx in the second half and guarding
Lisa Leslie on defense with the regular Lynx post players going to the
bench.

I have never seen a game where so many jump balls were called. Players were
literally wrestling with each other for possession of the ball. Svetlana
Abrosimova played like she wants to join the WWF. I remember one pile up
that looked more like a rugby scrum or a fumble in a football game or even a
freeway pile-up rather than anything remotely resembling basketball. The
call? Jump ball.