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Mercury-Sparks Preview

Jul 5, 2010 - 5:27 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Phoenix (6-11) at Los Angeles (4-12), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Mercury prevailed over the Los Angeles Sparks in last season's Western Conference finals on the way to their second WNBA title.

With each squad having lost a star player, the Mercury and Sparks don't appear headed for a postseason rematch, but can boost their chances for a playoff berth with a win Tuesday night at Staples Center.

Phoenix went the distance in each of its three playoff series, including a three-game set with Los Angeles. The teams traded road wins before the Mercury prevailed 85-74 in the finale then topped Indiana in a five-game championship series.

Phoenix, though, traded away a key part of that squad, Cappie Pondexter, in a move to dump salary and comply with the All-Star guard's request for a move to New York. In the three-team deal, the Mercury acquired Candice Dupree from Chicago.

Without Pondexter, the Mercury's experience this season has been far different than their 23-11 campaign in 2009. Phoenix (6-11) is currently in playoff contention in a conference where all but one team is below .500, but needed Saturday's 97-82 win over the Liberty to snap a six-game slide, its longest in seven years.

"No team wants to lose that many games in a row, and I was just glad to see us get over the hump," Dupree told the team's official website.

The Mercury will next try to work on ending their six-game road losing streak - which includes a 92-91 defeat on June 8 to the Sparks, who also won't have a key player available.

Candace Parker's layup with 3.4 seconds left gave Los Angeles one of its few victories this season, but a dislocated left shoulder has put her out for the season. Parker averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds in the three games this season against the Mercury, who prevailed by a point in the other two contests at home.

Without its All-Star forward, Los Angeles (4-12) has dropped five of six. After ending a four-game slide Thursday against San Antonio, the Sparks fell 75-62 to league-leading Seattle on Saturday to drop to 4-5 at home.

Phoenix hasn't lost seven straight away on the road since an eight-game slide from July 31, 2005-June 18, 2006, but Dupree's improving play could help end that skid.

The forward has averaged 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in the two games this month after averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 boards in her first 15 with the team.