Cooper Goes Out a Winner With Sparks

Michael Cooper got a winning send-off.

Mwadi Mabika scored 17 points and Lisa Leslie added 12 to help the Sparks come from behind to beat the Houston Comets, 59-56, in front of 12,555 in Houston on Saturday night and give Cooper a win in his final game before he joins the Denver Nuggets as an assistant.

Trailing by 12 with 9:56 left in the game, the Sparks scored 13 straight points to take a 47-46 lead and never looked back.

“There was crying a little bit at the beginning of the game, but I had to get out of that mode quick, and get into the game,” Cooper said. “I’m going to miss all of these women. The relationships I have with each individual one is what I am going to miss the most, but, as I said before, this team can win a championship with or without Michael Cooper.”

The Sparks (14-6) have won six straight and seven of their last eight.

DeLisha Milton-Jones did not play after injuring her knee on Friday in San Antonio. She will be re-evaluated by team doctors when the team returns to Los Angeles.

Sheryl Swoopes scored 12 points for Houston (8-11) and Tina Thompson scored 10 in her first game after missing the last three weeks because of a calf strain. The Comets have lost four consecutive games for the first time in franchise history and have dropped two of three at home.

Houston led, 31-22, early in the second half, but the Sparks responded with a 9-0 run and tied the game on a layup by Tamecka Dixon with 16:03 to go.

“I thought we showed a lot of heart and character, especially in the second half when we could have easily laid down,” Leslie said.

“They went on some great runs, but I thought we just fought hard and played good team basketball and just found a way to win.”

Said Houston Coach Van Chancellor: “We had a 12-point lead and turned the ball over. It’s the same thing that has haunted us all year.”

Tiffani Johnson made a layup at 9:56 to give Houston its biggest lead of the game, 46-34, before the Sparks rallied with a 17-1 run.

Detroit 70, Seattle 65 -- Deanna Nolan scored 21 points to lead the Shock to a win over the Storm in front of 10,741 at Detroit.

Swin Cash had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Shock (9-8).

Sue Bird had 21 points and Lauren Jackson 18 for the Storm (10-7).

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Charlotte 67, Washington 65 -- Allison Feaster scored 20 points, and the Eastern Conference-leading Sting won at home in front of 7,594.

Washington (8-9) pulled within two on Alana Beard’s layup with 6.1 seconds left, but Charlotte’s Tammy Sutton-Brown blocked Stacey Dales-Schuman’s jumper at the buzzer.

Tynesha Lewis added 11 points to help the Sting (10-7) win its third straight game.

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The Cooper Era

Michael Cooper’s coaching record with the Sparks, after his final game Saturday:

*--* Year W L Pct. Pos Playoffs 2000 28 4 875 1st 2-2 2001 28 4 875 1st 6-1 2002 25 7 781 1st 6-0 2003 24 10 706 1st 5-4 2004 14 6 700 Totals 119 31 793 19-7 Note: won WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002.

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