San Antonio couldn't quite beat L.A. Lisa Leslie was monstrous, with 25 points and 16 boards in 35 minutes. Doneeka Hodges and Tamara Moore started; Holdsclaw and Temeka Johnson (strained quadriceps) missed the game.

Vicki Johnson rallied the Silver Stars through the second half; the no-longer-injured Kendra Wecker had a breakout game, coming off the bench to score 16.

Stars coach Hughes, perhaps looking to sign a free agent: "Obviously, Vickie is a catalyst for what we do. We need another veteran presence to work in unison with her to teach these young players."

The Sparks are now calling the Claw's absence "a family matter," and claiming she'll practice with the team Saturday: we'll believe it when we see her in uniform.

As for Moore, her sixth team in five years has given the former Badger her first starts since 2002; she's shooting well (46%) but turning the ball over every ten minutes. As better-known Sparks come back from injury, we'll see if Jellybean thinks she's still ready to play.