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Liberty-Sparks Preview

Jun 28, 2010 - 4:56 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (6-7) at Los Angeles (3-10), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The New York Liberty are heading on a Western Conference road trip with some much-needed confidence.

The Liberty will try for their first three-game win streak of the year Tuesday night, resuming the WNBA's oldest rivalry as they try to hand the Los Angeles Sparks a fourth straight loss.

New York (6-7) can get back to .500 for the first time since June 11 by earning a fourth consecutive win at Staples Center. These teams met in the league's inaugural game June 21, 1997, and the Liberty lead the series 14-13.

The Liberty feel their revamped roster is finally starting to pay dividends. Janel McCarville is the lone returning starter after a major offseason overhaul netted former All-Stars Cappie Pondexter and Nicole Powell.

"The only real mainstay from last year is Janel," coach Anne Donovan said. "When you have that significant change in your key personnel, chemistry, identity and all those things are still coming. I think it's still ahead of us what our identity is."

Pondexter is the fifth-leading scorer in the league at 19.8 points per game, but the improved play of Powell has boosted New York. Powell is averaging 15.3 points in her last three games after averaging 5.3 in the previous six.

The Liberty rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 77-68 home win over Connecticut on Sunday. Pondexter scored 19 points and Powell had her first double-double with 14 and 10 rebounds.

"Everybody's doing their part," Pondexter said.

New York continues to lead the league in 3-point shooting (39.6 percent) and foul shooting (84.1).

This figures to be the most winnable game for the Liberty on this trip, with visits to defending WNBA champion Phoenix and league-best Seattle on tap.

Los Angeles (3-10) is 0-3 since losing superstar Candace Parker to a season-ending left shoulder injury June 13. Parker averaged 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds.

Veteran guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris has taken Parker's spot in the lineup. Ferdinand-Harris' output has decreased in each successive start with 16 points, nine and then four.

The Sparks fell to 0-7 on the road with Sunday's 89-81 loss to Atlanta. DeLisha Milton-Jones and Kristi Toliver each scored 19 points as Los Angeles blew an 11-point halftime advantage.

This game marks a reunion for Powell and Sparks guard Ticha Penicheiro. The players were backcourt mates the previous five seasons with Sacramento before the franchise folded, causing the former Monarchs to join other teams via a dispersal draft.