Clearly, the Detroit Shock is an expansion club that doesn't know how to act its age.
Twice in its first season, Detroit has put together win streaks that the second-year Utah Starzz can only dream about for next year - a six-game win streak that went into the first week of July and a four-game streak in mid-July that included back-to-back wins over the Starzz.The rubber match is tonight at 7 in the Delta Center as Frank Layden's Starzz (7-18) kick off a busy last full week of the 1998 season that, on paper, looks like their "easiest" since the first week of the season when they hosted L.A. and last-place Washington.
Easy, except for Detroit, one of two WNBA teams against whom Utah has never won. The other is Cleveland, just a half game out of first in the Eastern Conference.
At 13-12, Detroit is fourth in East but still has a possibility of making the four-team WNBA playoffs.
Detroit's "B" girls who skipped in from the "A" places - Cindy Brown from the ABL and Sandy Brondello from Australia - are now leading WNBA statistical categories. In rebounds, Brown is now tied with L.A.'s Lisa Leslie at 9.8 boards a game, thanks to a 13-rebound, 13-point performance last week against Charlotte. Brondello, a fourth-round draft choice, is making 89.2 percent of her free throws to lead the WNBA.
Add in Korie Hlede, seventh in league scoring (14.5) and fourth in 3-point percentage (.389), and 6-foot-8 Razija Mujanovic, second in WNBA shooting percentage (.518; Brown's fourth at .493), and the Shock can certainly live up to their name.
Utah has a league leader, too, in 7-2 Margo Dydek, who makes 3.84 shot-blocks a game, nearly a full block ahead of No. 2 Leslie.
With a slightly better than average night tonight, Dydek will pass the 100-block mark.
She has 96 after getting a WNBA-record nine against Cleveland Thursday and seven at Phoenix Saturday. Both were Utah losses, as was a game with Houston last week.
But Dydek's week, her three-game totals, were 18-for-35 shooting, 19-for-22 at the line, 55 points, 25 rebounds, seven assists and 18 blocks as she responds to more-intense individual coaching. Dydek has taken over the Starzz's scoring lead at 13.1 a game, and she's third in WNBA rebound average at 7.8.
Wendy Palmer, too, continues to thrive. In her three-game week, she had 24 rebounds (8 in each game) and 43 points on 16-for-31 shooting. She averages 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds after a broken toe slowed the first half of her season.
Utah has played eight-plus games without 6-5 Elena Baranova (ankle sprain) and lost Tammi Reiss in the first half of the Cleveland game and for Saturday's game in Phoenix with re-bruised ribs.
Detroit's week included a 71-68 loss at East-leading Charlotte, a 73-61 win at home over the Sparks and 61-57 loss at Houston Friday. In both the Charlotte and Houston games, the Shock led by 13 at the half.
Sacramento is in the Delta Center Wednesday in a game that could determine who's last in the West (Utah and the Monarchs start the week tied). Utah heads to Los Angeles (third in the West) Friday, Sacramento Saturday and ends the season a week from tonight hosting Phoenix.