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  Sunday, Jul. 23 1:00pm ET
Phillips stays tough in clutch
 
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NEW YORK (AP) -- New York center Tari Phillips had two leg cramps over the final minutes against the Houston Comets. Liberty coach Richie Adubato had no intention of taking her out of the game.

Janeth Arcain
Janeth Arcain grabs this rebound Sunday, but her Comets come up short in New York.

Phillips finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in Sunday's 69-64 victory over the WNBA's three-time defending champions at Madison Square Garden before a sellout crowd of 19,563.

"I had two cramps, in my quad and hamstring, and I was looking at the bench for them to take me out. They thought I was asking for the play," Phillips said, laughing.

The Liberty (14-10) were smiling after Crystal Robinson made two free throws with 7.7 seconds left to seal the victory. New York, which lost to Houston in the WNBA Finals last year, is the only team in the Eastern Conference to beat the Comets this season.

"It's a great win for us," Adubato said. "We were able to get one-on-one's with Tari and Tamika Whitmore in the middle, and that led to quick baskets."

Sheryl Swoopes, who led Houston (21-4) with 18 points, made a finger-roll layup with 9.3 seconds to bring the Comets within 67-64. Robinson then made her two free throws.

"For whatever reason, we're not playing the basketball we should be playing this time in the season," said Swoopes, who was held to four first-half points and finished 6-for-16 from the field. "We can't seem to put two halves together."

Janeth Arcain, who had 12-first half points, finished with 16 and Cynthia Cooper had 14.

New York outscored the Comets 12-6 over the final four minutes, with Phillips scoring five points. Phillips was 7-for-15 from the field in her ninth double-double of the season.

The 6-foot-1 Phillips didn't play in the season-opening 84-68 loss to Houston because she had just been traded from Portland.

"Tari has been a major acquisition for this team," Houston coach Van Chancellor said. "She's physical, tough and goes to the boards. I wish she had never come here."

Becky Hammon, who also had 17 points, made one free throw to give New York a 66-62 lead with 33 seconds remaining. Vickie Johnson added 13 points.

After Swoopes made a free throw for a 58-57 lead, New York went on a 6-0 run on two jumpers by Phillips and Whitmore's layup to lead 63-58 with 2:26 left.

Swoopes fed Arcain for a layup with 43 seconds remaining to trail 65-62.

It may have been Cooper's last regular-season game at the Garden. Cooper said at midseason that she may retire.

"This is pretty much the last time that I'll play (here)," Cooper said. "I don't have to make a decision for sure until May of next year when training camp starts. That will be the time when the decision will be made definite."

 


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RECAPS
New York 69
Houston 64

Utah 69
Orlando 66

Minnesota 80
Portland 63

Los Angeles 73
Sacramento 68