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Silver Stars-Sky Preview

Jul 13, 2010 - 2:42 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Antonio (6-10) at Chicago (8-11), 12:30 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Sky can't afford to let many more victories slip away if they want to make the playoffs for the first time.

The last-place Sky look to avoid a third straight defeat while trying to hand the San Antonio Silver Stars a fifth consecutive road loss Wednesday.

After falling short of the playoffs the past two seasons, Chicago (8-11) needs to get hot in the final month to earn that elusive postseason berth. The Sky, 2 1/2 games out of the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference, blew a 13-point, third-quarter lead in a 57-54 loss at New York on Sunday.

Jia Perkins had 26 points and Sylvia Fowles added 12 with a career-high 19 rebounds, but the Sky were outscored 18-9 in the fourth quarter.

"If you stop doing what got you in the lead in the first place then you can't expect to hold onto the lead," said coach Steven Key, whose team made four field goals after the 3-minute mark of the third quarter. "If we continue to lose momentum it doesn't really help us."

Chicago needs more consistency from Fowles, who scored four points in the second half. The MVP of the U.S. national team's victory over the WNBA All-Stars on Saturday is fourth in the league with 18.9 points per contest.

"She can score 20 points a night if she wants," Fowles' U.S. teammate Sue Bird said. "It's a matter if she wants to that night."

Fowles has totaled 16 points and 14 rebounds in two career games versus San Antonio (6-10).

Despite their losing record, the Silver Stars are in third place in the weak West, percentage points out of second. They fell for the third time in four games Thursday, 89-66 at Minnesota, and are 2-7 on the road.

San Antonio has not won away from home since June 18.

Top scorers Sophia Young (15.3 points per game) and Becky Hammon (14.4) struggled against the Lynx, with the All-Stars combining for 14 points on 3-for-21 shooting.

Hammon could play after sitting out last weekend's All-Star game with a sore quadriceps. Young finished with 10 points for the WNBA stars. She averaged 19.0 points and Hammon 18.0 as San Antonio split two games against Chicago in 2009.

San Antonio guard Roneeka Hodges had a season-high 15 points Thursday, 9.5 above her season average.

"I think this game gave me a little more confidence," Hodges said.

The teams conclude their two-game season series at San Antonio on July 24.