Los Angeles pounded a depleted Detroit team 78-58 on Saturday in the WNBA's opening game. They meet again, this time in Detroit, on Monday.
And that will be that for the Sparks-Shock rivalry in 2009, unless the two meet in the WNBA Finals. What we saw Saturday in L.A. would suggest the Sparks have a very strong possibility of making it that far … but there has to be some healing, among other things, for the Shock.
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Mechelle Voepel
espnW.comMechelle Voepel joined ESPN.com in 1996 and covers women's college hoops, the WNBA and additional collegiate sports for espnW.
Born in Los Angeles, she grew up 40 miles north of St. Louis and is a lifelong Cardinals fan still basking in amazement over their 2011 World Series title.
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Mechelle Voepel is a columnist for espnW.
Graham Hays is a columnist for espnW.
Michelle Smith writes for espnW.
Charlie Creme is espnW's women's bracketologist.