Shock set record for wins in season

Detroit earns franchise-best 18th victory

? With 10 games left in the regular season, league-leading Detroit is starting to think about the WNBA playoffs.

Swin Cash scored 15 points to lead the Shock to a 72-58 win Saturday night over Indiana in front of 10,335 fans.

Detroit improved to 18-6 in winning its fourth straight. The 18 wins are the most in franchise history, surpassing the 17 recorded in the Shock’s inaugural season in 1998.

“We talked earlier tonight that if we win all of our home games, it will put us with the best record in the East for home-court advantage and that’s our focus right now,” Detroit head coach Bill Laimbeer said. “Tonight was a start of winning our home games to get to the finals. If we win every home game we have from now on out, we’ll be in the finals.”

Deanna Nolan’s layup completed a 17-4 run that gave Detroit its biggest lead at 72-56 with 1:06 to play. Nolan had 10 points and Elaine Powell 13 for the Shock, who won the season series with Indiana, 3-1.

“They are a great team,” said Tamika Catchings, who led the Fever (13-11) with 20 points. “If we do play against them in the postseason, we are going to have to watch some tape and see what it is we are doing wrong when we play against them.”

Lynx 73, Storm 71

Minneapolis — Katie Smith’s running baseline floater at the buzzer gave Minnesota a victory. Smith got away from Seattle’s Lauren Jackson on the right baseline, took the inbound pass from Teresa Edwards and hung up in the air to get her shot off. The ball hit the rim twice before falling in as the horn sounded. Smith finished with 15 points.

Comets 64, Stars 55

Houston — Sheryl Swoopes scored 22 points and Janeth Arcain added 16 as Houston handed San Antonio its first loss under new coach Shell Dailey. Adrienne Goodson led San Antonio with 13 points and Margo Dydek added 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Silver Stars had won three games in a row after Dailey replaced Candi Harvey as coach last week.

Sting 84, Sparks 73

Los Angeles — Andrea Stinson scored 23 points and became the second player in WNBA history to surpass 3,000 points for Charlotte. Stinson, who has 3,011 points during her seven-year WNBA career, is second to Los Angeles’ injured center Lisa Leslie, who has 3,533. DeLisha Milton scored 23 and Mwadi Mabika 21 for the two-time defending champion Sparks (18-8).