SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- In a rivalry with this much animosity and intensity, it was only fitting for the Los Angeles Sparks to win with a slap.
|  | | Lisa Leslie powers toward the hoop through Monarchs' center Yolanda Griffith. |
Lisa Leslie blocked Tangela Smith's jumper with one second left,
giving the Sparks a 74-73 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on
Friday night in the opening game of the WNBA's Western Conference
finals.
Leslie's fantastic defensive play ended a difficult, physical night for the Sparks, who have only lost four games since the regular season began. The Monarchs knew they faced long odds to derail Los Angeles' run to a title, but they decided to go down fighting -- at times, almost literally.
"The (officials) allowed us to play," Leslie said with a shrug. "It was a very physical game, real physical. But we can adjust. We're a versatile team that can play any way we need to play."
Leslie finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks -- and a bump on her noggin from a head-to-head collision with
Sacramento star Yolanda Griffith. Tamecka Dixon had 14 points and
six assists, as well as a run-in with Sacramento coach Maura McHugh
as both teams left the floor after the game.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Sunday at Staples Center, where the Sparks haven't lost all season. The Monarchs would need a phenomenal effort to win the series, but they vowed to show the Sparks that a championship swagger must be earned.
"They walk on the court with a cocky attitude," Griffith said. "They have the best record in the league, so you can understand that -- but they need to show more respect. ... We were aggressive and right there in the game. They didn't blow us out, like they thought they would."
DeLisha Milton, who got a technical foul in the first half for angrily shoving Sacramento's Ticha Penicheiro, hit a long jumper with 47 seconds left to give Los Angeles a 74-71 lead.
Monarchs forward Edna Campbell hit two free throws, and Dixon
was called for traveling. After the ball went out of bounds with
2.1 seconds left, the Monarchs inbounded it to Smith -- but Leslie,
swooping out from the key, deflected Smith's 9-foot jumper into the
air. Nobody could control the loose ball as time expired.
"They were holding us," said McHugh, who accidentally ran into Dixon after the game. "We were trying to go down and set a screen, and they just had a lock on us. ... There was a lot of holding, grabbing and clawing. We've had a lot of games like that."
Milton and Mwadi Mabika each had 15 points for Los Angeles, which blocked nine shots.
"A lot of people talk about our defense not being good on the perimeter, but we're good when it gets into the paint," Los Angeles coach Michael Cooper said. "We had nine blocks, but we changed three or four more shots."
Griffith scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half. Campbell
added 15 points for the Monarchs, while Kedra Holland-Corn hit four
3-pointers and had 14 points.
With Chris Webber cheering at courtside, all five Sacramento
starters scored in double figures before an enthusiastic Arco Arena
crowd. But all five Sparks starters also reached double figures as
Los Angeles continued its remarkable season.
Poor outside shooting has hindered the Monarchs, but they looked
like a gang of sharpshooters in the opening minutes. Penicheiro,
who often draws McHugh's ire for not shooting enough, hit two
3-pointers and had eight points in the first three minutes.
"At that point, we just tried to hold on and weather the storm," Dixon said. "They were incredible for a few minutes."
Holland-Corn hit three 3-pointers as Sacramento jumped to a
19-13 lead in the first five minutes -- but just as quickly as they
got hot, the Monarchs went cold. As Los Angeles grabbed the lead,
the Monarchs went into a 2-for-26 shooting slump that only ended in
the final seconds of the half.
The Sparks also slumped in the first half, going scoreless for nearly five minutes. Campbell's 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer cut Los Angeles' lead to 35-34.
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
Los Angeles team page
Sacramento team page
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Monarchs inbound with 2.1 seconds left, but can't get a shot off thanks to two Sparks’ blocks.
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Tamika Dixon drives the lane and hits the leaner late in the game.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
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Edna Campbell beats the buzzer with a desperation 3-pointer to end the first half.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
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