AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? For one of the few times in his career, Bill Laimbeer didn’t care about winning.

His Detroit Shock are on such a roll, though, they pulled it out anyway.

With most of Detroit’s usual starters taking the night off, Ayana Walker had 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Shock (25-9) finished the best regular season in team history with a 68-60 victory Monday night over the Washington Mystics.

“We were prepared to lose this one, but our ladies played a fantastic game,” Laimbeer said. “I’ve always said this team had tremendous depth, and this game showed that.”

Ruth Riley played just 11 minutes, while Swin Cash, Deanna Nolan and Elaine Powell never got off the bench. Cheryl Ford was placed on the injured list before the game, but will be eligible to return for the playoffs.

Wins by Cleveland and Connecticut Monday mean that the Shock will play the Rockers in the first round.

“Cleveland is a tough team, and they are going to be a good matchup,” Cash said. “We don’t care who we play — we just want to get started.”

Washington All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw left the game with 4:07 to play after spraining a ligament in her left knee in a collision with Detroit’s Barb Farris. Holdsclaw was carried to the locker room by teammate Nakia Sanford, a Kansas University product, and did not return.

Rockers 75, Sting 66

Cleveland — Chasity Melvin put Cleveland back in the playoffs. Melvin scored a season-high 22 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Cleveland.

Cleveland (17-17) will open the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the No. 1-seed Detroit Shock. The second-seeded Sting (18-16) will play Connecticut, which beat out the Rockers for third place by winning at Indiana 72-62, eliminating the Fever.

Sparks 67, Comets 64

Los Angeles — Mwadi Mabika scored 19 points, including six in the final two minutes.

Sheryl Swoopes missed a three-pointer at the buzzer for the Comets, who lost three straight and four in a row on the road heading into the playoffs.

The top-seeded Sparks will play No. 4 Minnesota in the first round, while the No. 2 Comets open against third-seeded Sacramento.

Storm 70, Monarchs 57

Seattle — Lauren Jackson scored 18 points and Tonya Massaline hit all four of her second-half shots. Jackson averaged 21.1 points a game this summer to win the WNBA scoring title.

Sun 72, Fever 62

Indianapolis — Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 17 points as Connecticut clinched its first playoff berth. The Sun (18-16) never made the playoffs in five seasons in Orlando. Now they’re the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.