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Shock-Silver Stars Preview

Aug 28, 2009 - 5:15 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Detroit (13-14) at San Antonio (11-17), 3:00 p.m. EDT

Despite a subpar season, the defending WNBA champion Detroit Shock are doing their best to return to the playoffs.

The defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Silver Stars, meanwhile, haven't been playing like a team trying to back to the postseason.

In their first game in San Antonio since last year's WNBA finals, the Shock go for their fifth straight victory Saturday when they face a Silver Stars team trying to avoid a fifth consecutive loss.

Since dropping three straight from Aug. 13-18, Detroit (13-14) has won four in a row. The Shock defeated Atlanta 87-83 on Thursday as Deanna Nolan scored 10 of her season-high 29 points in the fourth quarter, helping Detroit move into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit has reached the playoffs the past six seasons and the league finals in the last three.

"We've got our mojo back," said Nolan, who had nine points, seven rebounds and six assists in Sunday's 99-84 win over the Silver Stars. "It's great to have gotten to fourth, and we're still in reach of second and third."

Shock forward Cheryl Ford had six points and matched a season high with 12 rebounds versus the Dream.

"She can't do everything physical that she could do before the (ACL) injury (last season), but she still gives us so many things," coach Rick Mahorn said. "Her hustle hasn't changed, her attitude hasn't changed and her desire hasn't changed."

All-Star guard Katie Smith had nine points on 2-of-7 shooting versus Atlanta, but scored a season-high 31 in Sunday's victory over San Antonio. Smith averaged 21.7 points and earned MVP honors as the Shock swept the Silver Stars in three games in the finals.

San Antonio (11-17) will be trying to snap its longest losing streak since a six-game slide from June 30-Aug. 8, 2006. The Silver Stars committed 23 turnovers in a 77-66 loss at Indiana on Thursday.

"I thought they came out aggressive on defense and took our turnovers and made them productive on points for them," forward Sophia Young said. "We usually don't turn the ball over that much."

Guard Becky Hammon, among the top five scorers in the league at 19.0 points per game, went 0 for 5 from the field and was held scoreless.

She averaged 18.5 points and 6.0 assists in two home losses to Detroit in the 2008 finals.

San Antonio center Ann Wauters is averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in her last four games.