BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

It was a brutish matinee, more Braveheart than Hamlet.

The Storm and Sparks gathered for a Game 2 mugging in KeyArena Sunday, Seattle bruising its way to a 64-50 win against Los Angeles, tying the Western Conference semifinal at a game apiece. Decisive Game 3 tips at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The teams combined for more fouls (42) than made baskets (37). Sue Bird took a shot to the beak that left her bent over, checking for blood. Yolanda Griffith took shots to the few parts of her body that aren't padded or taped down.

Sparks star Lisa Leslie was called for three offensive fouls. Candace Parker was banged around by one or two people in the post. It was elbow-based basketball.

Amid all the collisions, the Storm's Sheryl Swoopes emerged. The 37-year-old scored 16 points, came up with four steals, and displayed a form seldom seen since her signing in the offseason.

"I would say this definitely was one of the games I've been wanting to have all season long," Swoopes said "To be able to come out and do it in the playoffs, in a game like this, it did a lot for me, and for us."

Swoopes complimented another burden-carrying performance from Bird, who scored 20 points on 19 shots. Bird found herself at shooting guard almost exclusively Sunday, Tanisha Wright designated to handle the point.

Game 2 was a turnaround for Wright. Though she scored 16 points in Game 1, Wright's performance was uneven. The point guard turned the ball over six times Friday, something she didn't do once Sunday. Not to mention she led Seattle in rebounds, delving into the combustible painted area with much bigger players leaving with the ball.

As much as Game 2 was a positive turn for Wright, it was a reduction in production for the Sparks' guards.

The Los Angeles backcourt shot 20 percent, a performance that likely contributed to Sparks coach Michael Cooper being terse at thepostgame press conference.

"The last game we were able to hit shots from the perimeter," Cooper said. "Our backcourt was 4-for-20. You're not going to win any games like that or loosen up any defenses like that." With that, the press conference was over.

Bird said the beating she received was expected. As is another schoolyard tussle come Tuesday night.

"It's the playoffs. That's always how it is," Bird said. "That's what you can expect. You can definitely expect that from L.A. I'm sure Game 3 will be even worse."

The Sparks never led, scoring nine points in the first quarter and subsequently unable to recover. The Storm flashed at any post player, particularly Leslie, when they received the ball. At times the extra Storm defender stayed and double teamed. Other times, the added defender went back to their assignment. Incessant switching along the baseline helped the Storm defenders keep Leslie, Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones in front of them more often than not.

Seattle held the Sparks to seven points in the first quarter, eight in the second. Los Angeles shot 30.8 percent for the game, a substantial reduction from the 46.2 percent it shot in Game 1.

Leslie turned it over six more times, giving her 14 in two games. The veteran is struggling to get the ball out when double teamed, or getting a good shot off when she's not. Parker, hounded admirably by Camille Little, is getting pushed around inside, nothing coming clean or easy for her.

"It's just a different game," Leslie said of the playoffs. "For whatever reason, the rules of how we play in the regular season just kind of go out the door and you just have to play through whatever it is. We've got to make that adjustment, especially being on the road."

The Storm was able to adjust from game to game, tweaking its defense some, finding scoring support for Bird.

But most all, Seattle was able to slow the Sparks in transition, and cope with all the banging.

"I think that's what L.A. felt like they had to come in here and do," Swoopes said. "They had to try to be bruisers and bang around and play dirty, and we were just going to fall back. Whatever they give us, we've got to give it back to them."

Round 3 comes Tuesday.

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. Contact him at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com