1999 Los Angeles Sparks season

WNBA team season
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
CoachOrlando Woolridge
ArenaGreat Western Forum
Attendance7,625 per game
Results
Record20–12 (.625)
Place2nd (Western)
Playoff finishLost Conference Finals (2-1) to Houston Comets

The 1999 WNBA season was the third for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.

Transactions

Minnesota Lynx expansion draft

The following player was selected in the Minnesota Lynx expansion draft from the Los Angeles Sparks:

Player Nationality School/Team/Country
Octavia Blue  United States Miami (FL)

WNBA draft

Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 4 DeLisha Milton-Jones  United States Portland Power
2 16 Clarisse Machanguana  Mozambique San Jose Lasers
3 28 Ukari Figgs  United States Purdue
4 40 La'Keshia Frett  United States Philadelphia Rage

Transactions

Date Transaction
April 6, 1999 Lost Octavia Blue to the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA expansion draft[1]
May 4, 1999 Drafted DeLisha Milton-Jones, Clarisse Machanguana, Ukari Figgs and La'Keshia Frett in the 1999 WNBA Draft[1]
May 6, 1999 Waived Michelle Reed[1]
May 15, 1999 Signed Gordana Grubin and Nina Bjedov[1]
June 21, 1999 Traded Jamila Wideman to the Cleveland Rockers in exchange for Jennifer Howard[1]
June 22, 1999 Waived Sandra Van Embricqs[1]

Roster

1999 Los Angeles Sparks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs
C 45 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Bjedov, Nina 6' 4" (1.93m) 190 lb (86kg) 1972-05-18 R
G 21 United States Dixon, Tamecka 5' 9" (1.75m) 148 lb (67kg) 1975-12-14 Kansas 2
F 5 United States Feaster, Allison 5' 11" (1.8m) 168 lb (76kg) 1976-02-11 Harvard 1
G 15 United States Figgs, Ukari 5' 9" (1.75m) 142 lb (64kg) 1977-03-31 Purdue R
F 0 United States Frett, La'Keshia 6' 3" (1.91m) 170 lb (77kg) 1975-06-12 Georgia R
G 6 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Grubin, Gordana 5' 11" (1.8m) 165 lb (75kg) 1972-08-20 R
C 9 United States Leslie, Lisa 6' 5" (1.96m) 170 lb (77kg) 1972-07-07 USC 2
G 4 Zaire Mabika, Mwadi 5' 11" (1.8m) 165 lb (75kg) 1976-07-27 2
F/C 33 People's Republic of Mozambique Machanguana, Clarisse 6' 5" (1.96m) 180 lb (82kg) 1976-10-04 Old Dominion R
F 8 United States Milton-Jones, DeLisha 6' 1" (1.85m) 175 lb (79kg) 1974-09-11 Florida R
G 11 United States Toler, Penny 5' 8" (1.73m) 132 lb (60kg) 1966-03-24 Long Beach State 2
Head coach
United States Orlando Woolridge (Notre Dame)
Assistant coaches
-



Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Schedule

Regular season

1999 game log
Total: 12–18 (Home: 8–8; Road: 4–10)
June: 5–4 (Home: 2–1; Road: 3–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 June 10 Sacramento W 100–78 Lisa Leslie (19) Mwadi Mabika (6) Tamecka Dixon (5) Great Western Forum 1–0
2 June 12 @ Cleveland W 75–59 Lisa Leslie (30) Lisa Leslie (18) Figgs
Grubin (4) 		Gund Arena 2–0
3 June 15 @ Orlando L 86–88 Lisa Leslie (23) Lisa Leslie (9) Mwadi Mabika (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 2–1
4 June 18 @ New York L 72–84 Ukari Figgs (13) Lisa Leslie (10) Mwadi Mabika (4) Madison Square Garden 2–2
5 June 19 @ Charlotte W 73–69 Lisa Leslie (15) Leslie
Mabika (7) 		Mwadi Mabika (6) Charlotte Coliseum 3–2
6 June 22 @ Houston L 76–84 Lisa Leslie (19) DeLisha Milton-Jones (12) Dixon
Frett
Figgs
Grubin
Mabika (2) 		Compaq Center 3–3
7 June 24 Minnesota L 73–86 Lisa Leslie (21) Lisa Leslie (7) Ukari Figgs (4) Great Western Forum 3–4
8 June 26 @ Sacramento W 76–73 DeLisha Milton-Jones (20) DeLisha Milton-Jones (9) Dixon
Milton-Jones (4) 		ARCO Arena 4–4
9 June 28 Utah W 102–70 Penny Toler (21) Lisa Leslie (7) Mwadi Mabika (7) Great Western Forum 5–4
July: 6–7 (Home: 5–5; Road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
10 July 1 @ Minnesota W 81–77 (2OT) Gordana Grubin (20) DeLisha Milton-Jones (9) Grubin
Mabika (5) 		Target Center 6–4
11 July 2 @ Detroit W 91–81 Lisa Leslie (18) Lisa Leslie (10) Penny Toler (7) The Palace of Auburn Hills 7–4
12 July 5 Cleveland W 74–72 Nina Bjedov (14) Lisa Leslie (11) Frett
Leslie
Toler (5) 		Great Western Forum 8–4
13 July 7 @ Phoenix W 67–61 Mwadi Mabika (16) Lisa Leslie (8) Penny Toler (4) America West Arena 9–4
14 July 9 Sacramento L 72–77 Leslie
Mabika (16) 		Lisa Leslie (9) Feaster
Toler (3) 		Great Western Forum 9–5
15 July 11 Phoenix W 68–57 DeLisha Milton-Jones (14) DeLisha Milton-Jones (8) La'Keshia Frett (5) Great Western Forum 10–5
16 July 17 @ Phoenix L 76–84 Lisa Leslie (21) Lisa Leslie (8) Mwadi Mabika (7) America West Arena 10–6
17 July 18 Houston W 78–65 Lisa Leslie (20) Lisa Leslie (12) Gordana Grubin (6) Great Western Forum 11–6
18 July 21 Phoenix W 84–63 Lisa Leslie (18) Nina Bjedov (8) Tamecka Dixon (6) Great Western Forum 12–6
19 July 24 New York W 75–72 (OT) Lisa Leslie (22) Mwadi Mabika (11) Grubin
Leslie (4) 		Great Western Forum 13–6
20 July 27 Orlando W 81–60 Lisa Leslie (19) Leslie
Milton-Jones (10) 		Lisa Leslie (5) Great Western Forum 14–6
21 July 30 Utah W 87–77 Lisa Leslie (24) Leslie
Mabika (10) 		Mwadi Mabika (7) Great Western Forum 15–6
22 July 31 Washington W 81–64 Lisa Leslie (15) Mwadi Mabika (11) Mwadi Mabika (5) Great Western Forum 16–6
August: 4–5 (Home: 2–1; Road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
23 August 3 @ Utah L 75–81 Gordana Grubin (20) Lisa Leslie (8) Gordana Grubin (5) Delta Center 16–7
24 August 6 @ Minnesota W 77–59 Lisa Leslie (29) Lisa Leslie (15) La'Keshia Frett (8) Target Center 17–7
25 August 9 Detroit L 59–84 DeLisha Milton-Jones (16) DeLisha Milton-Jones (8) Figgs
Mabika (3) 		Great Western Forum 17–8
26 August 10 @ Sacramento L 80–82 Mwadi Mabika (20) Leslie
Milton-Jones (8) 		Gordana Grubin (6) ARCO Arena 17–9
27 August 12 @ Houston L 61–83 Gordana Grubin (10) Lisa Leslie (8) Figgs
La'Keshia Frett (6) 		Compaq Center 17–10
28 August 14 @ Washington L 53–55 DeLisha Milton-Jones (13) Leslie
Mabika (6) 		Frett
Grubin
Mabika
Toler (3) 		MCI Center 17–11
29 August 16 Charlotte W 76–65 Lisa Leslie (25) La'Keshia Frett (10) La'Keshia Frett (6) Great Western Forum 18–11
30 August 18 Minnesota W 72–54 Allison Feaster (16) DeLisha Milton-Jones (9) Mabika
Toler (3) 		Great Western Forum 19–11
31 August 20 Houston W 68–64 DeLisha Milton-Jones (18) DeLisha Milton-Jones (7) Gordana Grubin (6) Great Western Forum 20–11
32 August 21 @ Utah L 81–89 Allison Feaster (14) Mwadi Mabika (4) Mwadi Mabika (7) Delta Center 20–12
1999 season schedule

Playoffs

1999 playoff game log
First round vs. Sacramento Monarchs
Won Series: 1–0
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 August 24 Sacramento W 71–58 Lisa Leslie (22) Lisa Leslie (12) Gordana Grubin (9) Great Western Forum 1–0
Conference Finals vs. Houston Comets
Lost Series: 1–2
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 August 26 Houston W 75–60 Lisa Leslie (23) Frett
Leslie (7) 		Gordana Grubin (7) Great Western Forum 1–0
2 August 29 @ Houston L 55–83 Lisa Leslie (11) Lisa Leslie (8) Lisa Leslie (4) Compaq Center 1–1
3 August 30 @ Houston L 62–72 Lisa Leslie (20) Leslie
Mabika (7) 		Mwadi Mabika (5) Compaq Center 1–2
1999 playoff schedule

Season standings

Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Houston Comets x 26 6 .813 16–4 –
Los Angeles Sparks x 20 12 .625 12–8 6.0
Sacramento Monarchs x 19 13 .594 9–11 7.0
Phoenix Mercury o 15 17 .469 7–13 11.0
Minnesota Lynx o 15 17 .469 8–12 11.0
Utah Starzz o 15 17 .469 8–12 11.0

Statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Mwadi Mabika 32 28 29.3 .372 .281 .718 4.8 3.5 1.4 0.5 10.8
Lisa Leslie 32 32 29.1 .467 .423 .731 7.8 1.8 1.1 1.5 15.6
DeLisha Milton-Jones 32 32 26.1 .530 .000 .791 5.5 1.6 1.5 0.5 9.9
Gordana Grubin 32 18 22.1 .405 .430 .765 2.2 2.8 0.8 0.1 8.9
La'Keshia Frett 31 18 21.2 .478 N/A .791 3.0 2.1 0.3 0.2 6.1
Tamecka Dixon 32 14 17.6 .378 .313 .738 2.1 1.7 0.5 0.1 6.8
Nina Bjedov 27 0 16.0 .520 .421 .500 2.6 0.6 0.3 0.8 4.5
Ukari Figgs 22 10 15.0 .366 .298 .875 1.6 1.5 0.7 0.0 4.3
Penny Toler 30 4 14.2 .340 .154 .867 1.4 2.2 0.4 0.0 4.8
Allison Feaster 32 4 12.8 .495 .368 .684 1.8 1.0 0.5 0.2 5.1
Clarisse Machanguana 28 0 8.8 .490 N/A .722 1.8 0.4 0.3 0.1 2.6


‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "1999 Los Angeles Sparks Transactions". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
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