Shock Still Has Its Strut

Detroit Coach Bill Laimbeer, whose defending champion Shock could have been eliminated Sunday, had no doubts after clinching a place in the WNBA playoffs on the final day of the regular season.

“I don’t really care who we play,” Laimbeer said after his team beat Charlotte, 68-54, at Auburn Hills, Mich. “Because we are going to win the Eastern Conference.”

Cheryl Ford and Barbara Farris each scored 15 points for Detroit (17-17). Allison Feaster’s 12 points led Charlotte (16-18), which would have replaced Detroit in the playoffs had it won.

The Sting opened with a 16-6 lead, but the Shock rallied to take a 27-23 edge at halftime.

Connecticut 80, Indiana 60 -- Asjha Jones scored 16 points at Uncasville, Conn., to help the Sun (18-16) clinch the regular-season Eastern title for the first time in the franchise’s six-year history. Connecticut had the tiebreaker edge over New York because of a better conference reford. Tamika Catchings’ 30 points led the Fever (15-19).

New York 79, Washington 75 -- Becky Hammon scored six of her 18 points in the final 36 seconds to lift the Liberty (18-16) at Madison Square Garden in a game for the East’s second seeding. Alana Beard had 23 points, including 19 consecutive in the last half, for the Mystics (17-17).

Sacramento 72, Minnesota 63 -- Yolanda Griffith’s 18 points led the host Monarchs (18-16) over the Lynx (18-16). Minnesota still got the third seeding, because it had the tiebreaker edge, with a better record against teams at or above .500.

Phoenix 78, Houston 64 -- Anna DeForge and Plenette Pierson each scored 24 points to lift the host Mercury (17-17) over the Comets (13-21). Diana Taurasi was limited to 14 points.