ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Although the Los Angeles Sparks earned the homecourt advantage over Sacramento in the WNBA`s Western Conference Finals, they won`t be able to take advantage of it when they play at ``home`` Saturday night.
The Sparks are the home team, but Game 2 in the best-of-three series will be at Arrowhead Pond, some 35 miles from the Staples Center, which has a previous booking.
Oddsmakers list the Sparks as 4-point favorites and have set the total at 138.
``It`s disappointing, because I don`t think we`d ever see the Lakers playing at the Pond in the playoffs,`` Sparks star Lisa Leslie said. ``But we`ve got to control what we can control.``
A deciding game, if necessary, would be played Sunday night at the Staples Center.
``It`s a positive for us,`` Sacramento`s Kara Lawson said of playing in Anaheim. ``It`s going to be somewhat of a neutral site, and it`s a court where they haven`t played, either. But that`s where it ends. We still have to go out and win a tough, physical game.``
Lawson grabbed a microphone after the Monarchs` 64-61 victory in the series opener Thursday night at Arco Arena and said: ``We`re going to Disneyland.``
She urged the fans to travel to Anaheim for the game, telling them to turn the Pond into ``Arco Arena South.``
If nothing else, the Sparks know they can come back from a loss in Game 1 to win a playoff series, having done it in the first round against Seattle.
``It just takes composure,`` Leslie said. ``Sacramento did what it was supposed to do, and now we have a chance to go home and hopefully make our shots this time.``
The Sparks missed their first 10 shots in Game 1, and wound up shooting 36.7 percent to Sacramento`s 38.3 percent.
The status of Chamique Holdsclaw, the Sparks` second-leading scorer, for Game 2 is uncertain. She sat out Game 1 because of an injured left foot. Against Seattle, she played only 2 minutes in the second game and sat out Game 3.
Even without Holdsclaw, the Sparks led by nine points in the third quarter and six in the final period Thursday night before the Monarchs went ahead on Yolanda Griffith`s layup with 10.3 seconds left.
``We know it`s not going to be easy,`` Monarchs coach John Whisenant said. ``We`ve got to take it from them. They`re not going to give it to us. They create a lot of problems for us.``
The teams are meeting in their fourth straight postseason, with the Monarchs eliminating the Sparks in the first round in 2004 and 2005.
The Sparks were 3-0 against Sacramento during the regular season, when they went 25-9. The Monarchs were 21-13.
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To remove first post, remove entire topic.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Although the Los Angeles Sparks earned the homecourt advantage over Sacramento in the WNBA`s Western Conference Finals, they won`t be able to take advantage of it when they play at ``home`` Saturday night.
The Sparks are the home team, but Game 2 in the best-of-three series will be at Arrowhead Pond, some 35 miles from the Staples Center, which has a previous booking.
Oddsmakers list the Sparks as 4-point favorites and have set the total at 138.
``It`s disappointing, because I don`t think we`d ever see the Lakers playing at the Pond in the playoffs,`` Sparks star Lisa Leslie said. ``But we`ve got to control what we can control.``
A deciding game, if necessary, would be played Sunday night at the Staples Center.
``It`s a positive for us,`` Sacramento`s Kara Lawson said of playing in Anaheim. ``It`s going to be somewhat of a neutral site, and it`s a court where they haven`t played, either. But that`s where it ends. We still have to go out and win a tough, physical game.``
Lawson grabbed a microphone after the Monarchs` 64-61 victory in the series opener Thursday night at Arco Arena and said: ``We`re going to Disneyland.``
She urged the fans to travel to Anaheim for the game, telling them to turn the Pond into ``Arco Arena South.``
If nothing else, the Sparks know they can come back from a loss in Game 1 to win a playoff series, having done it in the first round against Seattle.
``It just takes composure,`` Leslie said. ``Sacramento did what it was supposed to do, and now we have a chance to go home and hopefully make our shots this time.``
The Sparks missed their first 10 shots in Game 1, and wound up shooting 36.7 percent to Sacramento`s 38.3 percent.
The status of Chamique Holdsclaw, the Sparks` second-leading scorer, for Game 2 is uncertain. She sat out Game 1 because of an injured left foot. Against Seattle, she played only 2 minutes in the second game and sat out Game 3.
Even without Holdsclaw, the Sparks led by nine points in the third quarter and six in the final period Thursday night before the Monarchs went ahead on Yolanda Griffith`s layup with 10.3 seconds left.
``We know it`s not going to be easy,`` Monarchs coach John Whisenant said. ``We`ve got to take it from them. They`re not going to give it to us. They create a lot of problems for us.``
The teams are meeting in their fourth straight postseason, with the Monarchs eliminating the Sparks in the first round in 2004 and 2005.
The Sparks were 3-0 against Sacramento during the regular season, when they went 25-9. The Monarchs were 21-13.
Even if Holdsclaw plays I can't imagine she will be fully fit - big factor here is that it is not played at the Staples, effectively making Sparks give up their homecour advantage.
The champs use the broom tonight ||an_light.gif' border=0>
Monarchs to cover +4 v Sparks
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Even if Holdsclaw plays I can't imagine she will be fully fit - big factor here is that it is not played at the Staples, effectively making Sparks give up their homecour advantage.
The champs use the broom tonight ||an_light.gif' border=0>
Monarchs to cover +4 v Sparks
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My record here is like 21-3 ||confused.gif' border=0>
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My record here is like 21-3 ||confused.gif' border=0>
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