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Sparks-Storm Preview

Jun 25, 2009 - 8:52 PM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Los Angeles (2-4) at Seattle (5-2), 10:00 p.m. EDT

After announcing her intention to retire following the end of this season, Lisa Leslie set her sights on winning a third WNBA championship. Her injured knee might make that goal considerably tougher to achieve.

The struggling Los Angeles Sparks will have to make do without their star center for a while as they get set to take on Lauren Jackson and the Seattle Storm on Friday night.

Leslie is expected to miss about six games after getting hurt last Friday against Phoenix. She also bruised her right hip in that game and sat out Los Angeles' 67-47 win over Sacramento on Sunday.

Sparks spokeswoman Alayne D. Ingram said Monday that Leslie, averaging 10.4 points and 7.4 rebounds, has a severe sprain and is out "several weeks."

That's a big blow to the Sparks (2-4), who are already without Candace Parker - last year's WNBA MVP - after she gave birth in May. Los Angeles is 0-4 on the road and near the bottom of the league in scoring at 69.0 points per game.

The Sparks relied on defense Sunday as they snapped a four-game losing streak. They outscored the Monarchs 22-11 in the first quarter and led by 22 at the half, holding Sacramento to 25.8 percent from the field for the game.

"It's a great win," coach Michael Cooper said. "It let us know that we can still compete. If we come out and play with this kind of energy, we're going to get some wins."

While a victory over the conference's worst team may have given Los Angeles some confidence, Jackson and the high-scoring Storm (5-2) should provide a tougher test.

Jackson, battling Phoenix's Diana Taurasi for the league scoring lead with 23.4 points per game, was named Western Conference player of the week Monday for the 14th time in her career - one shy of Leslie's total. Jackson is also averaging 6.9 rebounds and shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 58.1 percent from 3-point range.

"I still think the best is ahead," coach Brian Agler told the Storm's official Web site. "But I also know she's human too. I see things that I know that she can improve on and how she can get other opportunities and things like that, but she's playing marvelous basketball.

"We don't have any complaints, but it's our job - my job in particular - to try to help her be the best she can become. That also is helping us become better."

Jackson gave her coach little to complain about Sunday in a 93-84 win at Phoenix, as she finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Sixteen of her points came in the second half as the Storm regained command after Phoenix briefly went ahead late in the third quarter.

The Storm have won three straight at home against the Sparks, although Los Angeles took last season's series 2-1. The Sparks' DeLisha Milton-Jones averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds against Seattle in 2008.