Comets Rout Sparks in Game 1

H O U S T O N, Aug. 18 -- The Houston Comets aren’t complaining about their1-3 record against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Sheryl Swoopes scored 22 points and Cynthia Cooper added 21, andthe Comets used an early 17-0 run to take control in a 77-56victory on Thursday night in Game 1 of the WNBA’s WesternConference finals.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Sunday in Los Angeles. Athird game, if necessary, would be in Los Angeles on Monday.

‘We Are the Underdogs’

“They’ve been trying to give away our championship for a fewyears now,” Cooper said. “It always seems like we are theunderdogs. Well, in this case, we are the underdogs because LosAngeles had the best regular-season record.”

That didn’t matter to the Comets, who lost all three-regularseason games to the Sparks.

“This is the playoffs, and I don’t think any of us care aboutthe regular season,” Swoopes said. “Playoff time is a chance forus to pick up to another level and show people what we’re made of.We established ourselves early and did what we had to do to win.”

The Sparks, with the best record in the WNBA this season at28-4, weren’t quite ready for the Comets this time.

Cooper, the two-time league MVP, and Swoopes, honored Thursdayas this season’s MVP, took control early as Houston overpowered theSparks with the 17-0 run that made it 19-4.

“The best sign was when we got the big lead and we came out inthe second half and played with the same intensity,” Comets coachVan Chancellor said.

Comets Take Command

Cooper, held to 16 points in Monday’s playoff game againstSacramento, and Tina Thompson each had six points in Houston’searly run. Cooper had 15 points and Swoopes 10 in the first half asHouston built a 17-point lead at 40-23.

The Comets tied a league playoff record with 15 steals andSwoopes had five steals, tying the team playoff high.