Mabika’s 27 Points Help Sparks Pull Through

Things have gone so well for the Sparks on this undefeated homestand that it was time to see how they would respond to some adversity. And they got plenty of it Sunday night against Sacramento.

Point guard Temeka Johnson suffered a concussion when she caught an elbow from Kristin Haynie in the first quarter, was unable to return and is day-to-day. Guard Tamara Moore took a blow to the nose and missed most of the first half.

Lisa Leslie spent most of the game in foul trouble and fouled out with 16 points. And the Monarchs, the defending WNBA champions, had beaten the Sparks in six of their last seven meetings, including two playoff contests last season.

The response? Mwadi Mabika made a career-high seven of eight three-point shots and scored 27 points to lead the Sparks to an 80-69 victory at Staples Center that stretched their first-place lead in the Western Conference to a half-game over the Houston Comets.

The Sparks (8-3), who overcame a 38-33 halftime deficit, controlled the boards (31-22), shot 55.4% and limited the Monarchs to 39.3% shooting.

“We knew this would be difficult, playing back-to-back games,” Sparks Coach Joe Bryant said. “As I spoke to the team, I told them we were a very good team, but can we be special, meaning winning back to back. So I guess we are special.”

Eleven games into the season might be early to break out the “special” card. But the Sparks will wear the “gritty” tag after winning the kind of game that got away from them in New York.

“For us adversity is a big thing,” said Moore, who came back in the second half to score all of her 11 points.

“Tonight showed the character of our team.”

Monarchs Coach John Whisenant has seen other slow starts by his team, and he knows that late June or July is when Sacramento, now 5-5, often finds its rhythm.

But this year’s circumstances -- last season’s leading scorer DeMya Walker is on maternity leave after giving birth in April, fatigue has slowed Kara Lawson and Yolanda Griffith is fighting a sore knee -- has Whisenant more anxious.

“Right now we’re not the same team that won the championship. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get there,” Whisenant said.

Sacramento -- which got 15 points from Nicole Powell and 14 from Lawson -- took its last lead, 63-62, with 5:23 to play. But the Monarchs could only scratch out six more points against the Sparks’ defense.