Sky fails to gain ground in WNBA playoff race

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - With the Detroit Shock is down to nine players as it tries to make the playoffs, Deanna Nolan has decided she isn't coming off the floor.

Nolan has played every second of Detroit's last two games, including Sunday's crucial 84-75 victory over the Chicago Sky. She had 19 points and 8 rebounds as the Shock (16-15) moved above .500 for the first time this season.

"This just feels normal to me," Nolan said. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to help us win games."

The Shock has won seven of eight and is 11/2 games ahead of the Sky (15-17), Washington and Connecticut for the third playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The top four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

Shyra Ely and Candice Dupree finished with 18 points each for the Sky.

"Their offense didn't kill us; it was us killing us," Sky coach Steven Key said. "We were fouling and doing stupid things. We didn't take care of the ball, and you can't beat that team if you don't play better than we did."

The Shock led 38-36 at the half, but the Sky went ahead late in the third and took a 58-57 advantage into the fourth before Detroit pulled away.

"They got 47 points off our turnovers and second-chance points - that's something we have to fix," Dupree said. "We've got to be aggressive and we've got to pick it up on defense."

The Sky's Sylvia Fowles played for the second time after missing five games with an ankle injury but scored only 2 points in 18 minutes and was obviously limping while moving up and down the court.

"You have to give her a lot of credit," Shock coach Rick Mahorn said. "She's clearly hurting, but she knows her team is in a dogfight and she is going to do anything she can to help."