Sacramento demonstrated why they have made the last four conference finals and showed off their playoff mode basketball in a 86-65 victory over San Antonio.

The Monarchs built a big lead in the first half, but the Silver Stars fought back to trail by only four at halftime. But in the second half, SASS could not match the intensity of the Monarchs as they pulled away.

The Monarchs are usually known for their defensive energy, but they benefited from several strong offensive performances. Nicole Powell led all scorers with 22 points. She and Rebekkah Brunson had career playoff highs. And Kara Lawson added 16 points off the bench. Sacramento almost doubled up San Antonio on the boards.

But as good as the team and their fans may feel about their performance, they know they have a tough test ahead tomorrow. "We aren't going to celebrate. We can't," Yolanda Griffith said.