Los Angeles ? Slowly, the Los Angeles Sparks are coming together under new coach Henry Bibby.

After going 2-2 on a season-opening road trip, the Sparks rallied in the second half for an 81-70 victory Tuesday over the winless San Antonio Silver Stars.

Lisa Leslie scored 22 points, Chamique Holdsclaw added 19, Nikki Teasley had 17, including five three-pointers, and Kansas University product Tamecka Dixon had 10 points for the Sparks, who are 15-1 at home against the Silver Stars.

“We got to get used to each other,” Leslie said. “When our defense is on, we can still hold a team.”

The Sparks improved to 8-1 in home openers since losing the franchise’s inaugural game against the New York Liberty on June 21, 1997.

“I’m glad to be back at home,” Bibby said. “We want to impress the people that come out and see us.”

Los Angeles hardly looked like a team favored to win the WNBA championship in the game’s opening minutes. The Sparks fell behind 8-2 and clung to a four-point halftime lead.

“I wasn’t really nervous, but I had a little bit of jitters,” Holdsclaw said. “We’re just learning. We’re trying to get our defense better.”

The Silver Stars have lost all five of their games under first-year coach Dan Hughes.

Chantelle Anderson led the Silver Stars with 16 points.