L.A. won another squeaker at home. Taj scored twenty, including the free throws that clinched it.

The good news: the Sparks proved that they can win without Holdsclaw, or Leslie, or Temeka Johnson. "We came together and played as a team," Christi Thomas said.

The bad news: twice in a row, L.A.'s home games against teams with very bad records have been decided in the closing seconds. Houston came within one point and half a minute of their first win.

The Comets, meanwhile, continued their search for a point guard: Tamara Moore got the start, juco rookie Shields played just four minutes, and former Hawkeye standout Crystal Smith got plenty of playing time even though she joined the team that day.