Second-Half 18-3 Run Gives Detroit Second Title in Four Years: Shock 80, Monarchs 75
By Mike Householder
Associated Press
Sunday, September 10, 2006
DETROIT - The Detroit Shock came back one last time and made off with their second WNBA championship in four years.
Finals MVP Deanna Nolan scored 10 of her 24 points during a game-changing 18-3 run to open the second half and the Shock won the title with an 80-75 victory over the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs in the deciding Game 5 on Saturday.
It was title No. 2 for Nolan, fellow All-Star Cheryl Ford and captain Swin Cash, but it was the first WNBA championship for Katie Smith, one of the best players in the history of U.S. women's basketball. Smith scored in double figures in four of the five games of the series, including 17 Saturday.
She hurled the ball high in the air as time expired.
In the first half the Shock were outplayed in much the same way they were during decisive losses in Games 1 and 3. But they came on strong when it counted.
Trailing by eight at the half, Detroit made its first four shots of the third quarter and clamped down defensively, causing Sacramento to miss 17 of its 19 attempts in the period.
The Monarchs, who were led by Kara Lawson's 17 points, closed to 78-75 with about 30 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer by Nicole Powell, but Smith answered with a jumper to seal the win.
The trophy presentation was reminiscent of the glory days of the Detroit Pistons with Shock coach Bill Laimbeer and assistant Rick Mahorn standing on the podium as champions.
It was at The Palace of Auburn Hills, however, that those Pistons and these Shock typically have played. But Saturday's game was held at Joe Louis Arena -- the home of the Detroit Red Wings -- because of a scheduling conflict.
A Mariah Carey concert at The Palace forced the Shock and Monarchs to play 30 miles south in Detroit.
But the fans were plenty loud and helped Detroit continue the trend of the home team winning every deciding game in the 10-year history of the WNBA finals.
After the Monarchs decisively won Game 3 at home, the feeling was that they would be able to take the series in Game 4, also at Arco Arena, where they rarely lose.
But Detroit roared back with a 20-point win Wednesday. Saturday's game was the only one of the series not decided by double digits.
Sacramento held the lead for the entire second quarter and took a 44-36 halftime advantage thanks to Lawson's running jumper with 1 second remaining.
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