fireworks

Sadly, Candace Parker of the Sparks wasn't in the lineup, but the WNBA All-Star game was about as entertaining as it could be.

Seattle's Swin Cash returned to Connecticut, where she starred at UConn, to lead the West to a 130-118 victory over the East with an All-Star game record 22 points.

Sacramento's Nicole Powell, formerly of Stanford, and before that, Phoenix's Mountain Pointe H.S., was a late replacement for the injured Lisa Leslie; Powell turned in a stunning performance, tallying 21 points in less than 21 minutes. She went 8 for 14 from the field, including 5 for 9 from three-point land.

Besides Cash, former UConn players included Diana Taurasi of Phoenix (18 points, 7-11 FG, and a lot of flashy passing), Sue Bird of Seattle (16 pts, 10 ast, 6-8 FG, 4-5 3PT, 5 reb), and Connecticut's Asjha Jones (6 pts, 6 ast, 4 reb).

The game was close through 3 quarters -- the West led by six going into the 4th. The most remarkable thing to me was that players from both teams were filling it up. The East's shooting tailed off in the 4th quarter, but the West finished at 51.5 percent from the field, including 18 for 39 (.462) on three-point shots. It was an up and down affair, fun to watch.

It was the highest scoring game in WNBA All-Star history.

Watching Taurasi and Bird playing together made me want to see them together for the Mercury.

Late in the game, the teams cleared the way to allow Chicago's Sylvia Fowles a chance to throw down a dunk. She blew the first one, then got another chance and put one down. Kinda hokey, but it's still news any time a woman gets a dunk in a game, and especially in the All-Star game. Fowles led the East with 17 points.

Now, it's back to business. The LA Sparks, down 6.5 games in the Western Conference, and in 5th place, have some serious catching up to do. Lisa Leslie is still out. Candace Parker is just rounding into shape. The Sparks defeated Minnesota tonight, 76-70. Parker finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds; veteran Tina Thompson picked up 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.

But the Western Conference-leading Mercury pounded Connecticut, 95-80, behind Cappie Pondexter's 29 points. The Mercury, 14-5, have the most wins in the league. Indiana, an 85-81 winner over Washington, sit at 13-4, best in the East (Katie Douglas had 34 points and 9 rebounds in tonight's win).