Sparks fall; Leslie practices

The Sparks lost a game and a a big opportunity to make up ground in the Western Conference playoff race Friday night at Houston, but a familiar presence has buoyed them.

Lisa Leslie, three-time WNBA most valuable player who has sat out the season while giving birth to her daughter in June, practiced Thursday with the Sparks during a one-day stopover before the team left for Houston, where it lost to the Comets, 66-56.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean she’s coming back; she just worked out with us,” Coach Michael Cooper said. “But I think it was good for us. Nobody said anything, but I think the other players really enjoyed seeing her, and having her out there again.”

Added General Manager Penny Toler: “She just walked in and said, ‘I gotta start somewhere.’ For morale, I think that’ll give us a big boost. The mood was already great, and it got better.

“Lisa’s Lisa. It’s not just her scoring. She’s one of the best players in the world. She’s a leader out there. She was out there, dishing and shooting, directing people, just making everybody else better. Even in just that one practice, you could see a difference in the team.”

Leslie was unavailable for comment.

“Lisa will know when she’s ready to come back,” Toler said. “We’re going to leave it up to her.”

The Sparks, who have eight games left, trail Seattle by three games for the last playoff spot.