The Sun won their must-win match at the casino, and it took all the team could give: Katie Douglas surprised everybody by playing, Sales surprised some folks by scoring early, and Taj's brainy post moves beat out Detroit's brawn.

Taj called Douglas' last-minute appearance "a big lift." Douglas got a numbing agent, along with "some things stuck in my foot" to ease the pain. (Props to the Bulletin's Sherman, who predicted her starting role.)

The game's MVP, though, has to be Margo Dydek. Not only did the 7'2" Pole score 17, a playoff high; her presence neutralized the swarming defense Detroit used so well in game one-- trapped teammates could simply throw the ball high. Detroit made its final, threatening run in the fourth quarter with Dydek on the bench.

For the Shock, Smith fizzled, but Nolan amazed: 27 points on 12-17 shooting, almost every one of them a long jumper. Her firepower kept Detroit close at the end.

Tight officiating perhaps helped the Sun, even though Whalen and Taj ended up with five fouls. The frequent breaks reduced the stamina advantage the Shock enjoyed in game one, and took the swagger away from the Shock's posts. Coach Laimbeer got distracted, got a technical, and nearly busted a lung.

Game three starts tonight at 8pm Eastern on ESPN2. Douglas' return, like everything else, is up in the air.