Tonight

vs. Houston, 7:30

* Site--Great Western Forum.

* Radio--KPLS (830).

* Records--Sparks 6-2, Comets 9-1.

* Record vs. Comets (1999)--2-2.

* Update--Having fattened up on two of the WNBA’s lower-echelon teams, Portland and Charlotte, the Sparks draw the best tonight in a matchup of last year’s Western Conference finalists. There are a few new faces in the Comets’ lineup, but nothing changes with the Big Three, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson. Well, maybe with Thompson. The fourth-year pro from USC is averaging 17.6 points a game, about five per game more than this time last season. She’s also shooting 51% from three-point range--third best in the league. Swoopes is averaging 23.5 points and 6.6 rebounds a game. She’s second only to Minnesota’s Katie Smith in WNBA scoring. In Houston’s 78-66 victory over Minnesota Sunday, the Big Three made 23 of 44 field-goal attempts. The Sparks leave Thursday for a four-game trip, beginning Friday at Miami, followed by games at New York, Washington and Indianapolis.

* Tickets--(310) 330-2434.