WNBA All-Star game will shoot for plenty of points

WASHINGTON -- Michael Cooper knows exactly what he wants to see in the WNBA All-Star game, a lot of scoring.

"I'm looking for 100 points," the Western Conference All-Stars coach said Sunday. "I'm going to tell the players, 'Let's move it up,' because I think it's great entertainment value for the league."

Cooper, coach of the Los Angeles Sparks -- the WNBA's best team last season -- will be trying to put on a show tonight for the league's most supportive fans last season.

The Washington Mystics, consistent losers until this season, drew an average of 15,280 fans last season -- well over the league average of 8,416.

"I enjoy coming to Washington, even though I know they'll be rooting against us, just because of the atmosphere," said Charlotte coach Anne Donovan, coach of the East All-Stars. "You just don't expect that Washington and New York, with all the entertainment options in those cities, would be the top spots for supporting women's basketball. ... I don't know what it is that they're doing, but it's working."

Only New York, with an average crowd of 13,494, approaches the Mystics in terms of fan support.

Washington has been led by Chamique Holdsclaw, but fans of the Mystics won't get to see Holdsclaw play tonight. Holdsclaw sprained her ankle June 28 against Portland. At the time she led the WNBA in scoring and rebounding.

With Holdsclaw out of the East's lineup, the star power at Sunday's practice sessions shifted even more dramatically to the Western Conference. The East is led by starters Tamika Catchings of Indiana, Dawn Staley of Charlotte, and Teresa Weatherspoon and Tari Phillips of New York.

The West has Los Angeles' Lisa Leslie, Houston's Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, Sacramento's Ticha Penichiero and Seattle rookie Sue Bird in the starting lineup.