Tonight
at Sacramento, 7
* Site--Arco Arena.
* Radio--KPLS (830 AM).
* Records--Sparks 13-2, Monarchs 11-5.
* Record vs. Monarchs--0-1.
* Update--Big and little winning streaks come together when the Sparks match their nine-game streak against Sacramento’s three-game streak. Sacramento is 7-0 at Arco Arena, and beat the Sparks there, 75-68, June 11. The Sparks lost their next game, at Seattle, but haven’t lost since. A victory for the Monarchs would inch them closer to the Sparks and conference-leading Houston Comets (15-2) in the WNBA’s Western Conference race. The Yolanda Griffith-led Monarchs staged a prodigious offensive show Saturday, beating the Detroit Shock, 108-96. Griffith, the 1999 league MVP, is averaging 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. The Monarchs are deep, with nine players averaging double-digit minutes, same as the Sparks. Lisa Leslie leads the Sparks with a 16.7-point scoring average and lately has been gaining on WNBA leader Natalie Williams of the Utah Starzz in rebounding. Leslie’s average has climbed to 9.4; Williams’ is 11.9. After today, the Sparks play six consecutive home games, starting Thursday night against the Washington Mystics at the Great Western Forum.
