Sparks' Lisa Leslie has her team ready for playoff matchup with Seattle

Lisa Leslie's voice could be heard down the hall.

In the basement of San Antonio's AT&T Center, media could clearly hear the Los Angeles center screaming at her team. And they were behind closed doors.

"We're not going out like this!" the three-time MVP told the Sparks.

Los Angeles had just won the regular-season game against San Antonio, 67-66, and was in the midst of a six-game win streak in August. But the Sparks had numerous bricks, turnovers and missed defensive assignments late, which made for an ugly win.

Leslie, one of the WNBA's original faces, took hold of her team. She plans to retire at the end of the season, and she didn't want to go out like that.

All this could be seen as bad news for the Storm, which will begin a three-game, first-round WNBA playoff series against the Sparks tonight in Los Angeles.

The Sparks surrounded Leslie with Olympians and All-Stars on this season's roster, trying to build a red carpet to a farewell championship.

"There are going to be higher expectations because it's her last go-round," said Storm forward Swin Cash, who won Olympic gold with Leslie in 2004. "I know Lisa and she's an ultra-competitor. We have to be at the top of our game.

"They always come out very aggressive and try to throw the first punch to knock you out in the very beginning. We have to make sure that it's us coming out throwing it first. That's figuratively, of course, although sometimes it doesn't seem that way."

With Lauren Jackson out with two stress fractures in her lower back, it's up to forward Camille Little (6 feet 2) and center Janell Burse (6-5) to contend with Leslie (6-5) and Candace Parker (6-4), Tina Thompson (6-2) and De-Lisha Milton-Jones (6-1) inside.

Burse missed the 2008 season to heal shoulder and foot injuries. She has averaged 9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds since replacing Jackson in the lineup.

"I'm going to be ready," Burse said. "Their team is pretty big in general and they do have all of the Olympic post players. But there are things we do well that they're going to have to guard as well."

Little has averaged 12.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in her past five games. Last year, her second in the WNBA, she was impressive against the Sparks in the postseason, averaging 11.6 points and 3.3 rebounds. Little replaced Jackson in the lineup due to ankle surgery.

The teams split four regular-season games this year. But Seattle is just 2-6 all-time in the postseason against the Sparks.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com