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BOX SCORE
NEW YORK (AP) -- Battered and bruised, Teresa Weatherspoon didn't slow down as the New York Liberty clinched the Eastern Conference for the second straight year.
|  | | Becky Hammon beat the Cleveland defense for 11 points. |
The Liberty won the title by beating the second-place Cleveland
Rockers 57-44 Tuesday night behind Tari Phillips' 14 points and 11
rebounds.
Weatherspoon recovered from a broken nose to help the Liberty
(20-11) win for the 13th time in 15 games.
"She's a leader everybody would follow," Sue Wicks said.
"Tonight she came in with a slight concussion and a broken nose
... and she's going through traffic. If you can't play hard when
she's playing like that, you don't deserve to be on the court."
Crystal Robinson and Becky Hammon added 11 points apiece for the
Liberty, who extended a franchise record with their 10th straight
home victory before a crowd of 18,663 at Madison Square Garden.
Weatherspoon had seven assists and six steals as the swarming
Liberty defense held the Rockers to 29.2 percent shooting in the
opening period.
"I think we are very confident right now," Weatherspoon said.
"When you look back to the first 16 games of the season, you
looked at a Liberty team that wasn't a confident basketball team.
Now, you see a team that wants to win. No matter what we have to do
to get it done. That's the key to our success right now."
New York will face either Washington or Detroit in the first
round of the Eastern Conference playoffs beginning Saturday.
Merlakia Jones had 21 points and was the only player in double
figures for the Rockers (17-14), who have dropped five of six road
games. Cleveland has already earned a playoff spot.
The Liberty needed a victory against the Rockers to clinch the
title after losing 57-41 -- a franchise low for points -- to
expansion Miami on Sunday.
"I was very proud of our team after our game the other night,"
New York coach Richie Adubato said. "We understood that we had to
win tonight, had to win at home. I thought that was the best first
half of basketball we played all year."
New York led 53-41 before Jones' 3-pointer brought the Rockers
within nine with 2:15 remaining. The Liberty held the Rockers
scoreless the rest of the way as Phillips hit a baseline jumper and
Robinson added a basket to close out the game.
Cleveland came within 36-32 with 12 minutes remaining on
consecutive jumpers by Jones and a basket by Rushia Brown. The
Liberty missed 10 of 14 shots in that span before taking a 49-38
lead with five minutes left.
Hammon had seven points and Robinson added six in the 13-6 run.
The Rockers, who trailed 28-19 at halftime, committed 19
turnovers that were converted into 17 Liberty points.
Suzie McConnell Serio, who announced she will retire at the end
of the season, wants another shot at the Liberty.
"Absolutely, that means we'll be playing for the Eastern
Conference final," she said.
The Liberty tied a team record with their 12th home victory after a 2-4 start. They went 12-3 at home in 1998 and 12-4 last
season. New York won seven straight home games spanning the 1997
and 1998 seasons.
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
RECAPS
Minnesota 76
Charlotte 67
New York 57
Cleveland 44
Los Angeles 60
Seattle 52
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Teresa Weatherspoon shows that she can dish it as well as she can take it.
avi: 1190 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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