LOS ANGELES -- The semifinal playoff series between the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky could hinge on the recovery of Elena Delle Donnes thumb.Delle Donne had surgery recently, and coach Pokey Chatman said she wont play in Game 1 of the best-of-five series that begins Wednesday at Long Beach State and is doubtful for Game 2.Chicago guard Allie Quigley is impressed with how the Sky have played without the star forward.I just think we knew when she went down that we were all going to have to step up, Quigley said. Everyone was ready. Were not going to be like the team where, Oh, theyre not that good without Elena. Everyone took it personal and stepped up big.The second-seeded Sparks, who had a double bye and havent played in 12 days, are planning for all scenarios, with or without Delle Donne. Chicago is planning to play without her.The Sparks, who had the second-best record in the league at 26-8, have shortened practices and structured them more like games in preparation for the playoffs.I also think theres an element of two things happening, Sparks coach Brian Agler said. I think we sat around for 5? weeks and everyone told us how good we are, and I think we softened up. Thats No. 1. No. 2, now its playoff time. Its easier to get peoples attention. I cant tell you the outcome of the games, but I think well be more engaged and focused.Delle Donne has captured the attention of the WNBA and its fans. And in her absence, her teammates are showing they can become a more guard-oriented team and be successful at it.Credit the players for stepping up individually and collectively, Chatman said. Unfortunately, in the past weve had to do that. Elena has suffered with some injuries and the back injury. Theres not this collective sigh or panic on the players part.Dont misunderstand me, its an arduous task ... but also, its the beauty of sports that someone goes down and someone steps up. Some veteran players like Cappie Pondexter, Courtney Vandersloot and Tamera Young, theyve stepped up and changed the way we played in terms of our pace.The fourth-seeded Sky have played well without Delle Donne, going 4-2 with her out of the lineup.Chicago must play the Sparks with all of their All-Stars, like Candace Parker and WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike. Ogwumike led the team in scoring with 19.7 points per game.The Sparks have won all three meetings against Chicago this season, all by double digits.While the Sparks were waiting through byes, they scrimmaged and on Tuesday, visited with the homeless in nearby Venice and passed out blankets and shoes.They were back scrimmaging on Tuesday.Theyre playing great basketball, and theyve been without [Delle Donne], Parker said. Weve got to prepare for them. They have so many different weapons.Delle Donnes absence, and her regular-season scoring average of 21.5 points per game, is glaring for Chicago, which beat Atlanta to advance.We prepare like shes never coming back because everything else would be Merry Christmas to us, Chatman said. You have to because you dont want to put undue pressure on her to come back too soon if shes not ready. Cheap Sneakers Websites .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Wholesale Sneakers Uk . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. http://www.cheapsneakersuk.com/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Authentic Sneaker Wholesale Cheap Sneakers Uk Online . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Week 1 of the NFL season was packed with intriguing calls: Jack Del Rio shedding his conservative label and making the Raiders both risky and relevant again.And non-calls: the Broncos hits on Cam Newtons noggin that led to plenty of finger pointing but nobody checking him for a concussion during the game.Of the costly on-field choices, one stood out: Dallas receiver Terrance Williams decision to turn upfield rather than veer for the sideline to give his kicker a chance at a last-second field goal with the Cowboys trailing the Giants 20-19.He obviously just needs to get out of bounds in that situation and give us a chance, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. It was a poor decision on his part. We talked to him about that. He understands that. His instincts took over and took him inside instead of to the sidelines, and well all learn from that situation.Coaches are wise to go with the bold moves when theyre in the same division Denver has dominated ever since Tim Tebow was trying to hit his tight ends and receivers rather than curveballs and the cutoff man.So, three days after watching Denvers defense pummel Newton anew , Del Rio and Andy Reid made strong statements of their own.Del Rio wanted nothing to do with overtime in Oaklands shootout at New Orleans, so he told his offense theyd go for the 2-point conversion when they began their final drive and he stuck to his word. Derek Carr rewarded Del Rios gamble with a toss to Michael Crabtree for a last-minute 35-34 win.I was thinking, `Were here to win. Lets win it right now, Del Rio said.Reid and his QB, Alex Smith, never flinched when his Kansas City Chiefs fell behind San Diego 24-3 and found themselves trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter. They stuck to their game plan and were rewarded with a 33-27 overtime victory.They got help from Chargers coach Mike McCoys curious call.The Chargers led 27-10 with 11:20 left in the fourth quarter when McCoy decided to try a 54-yard field goal -- odd, considering it would be a three-score game either way. Instead of running his best play on fourth-and-2 or trying to pin the Chiefs deep, McCoy sent in Josh Lambo, who missed. The Chiefs got the ball at the 44 and promptly began their comeback.McCoy said special teams coach Craig Aukerman told him Lambo was crushing it before the game: He was dead-on. I asked Craig about it and he said, `Yeah, hes going to put it right down the middle. He had all the confidence in the world. So I had all the confidence in the world, too.Things quickly fell apart for the hard-luck Chargers.That was a turning point, McCoy said.Their AFC Westt rivals are eager to show theyve narrowed the gap with the Broncos, who are bracing for those hefty fines this week after four helmet-to-helmet hits on Newton.ddddddddddddHEAD GAMES : None of the high hits on the leagues reigning MVP resulted in penalty yardage, and the one that was flagged was negated by an intentional grounding call. That prompted Panthers coach Ron Rivera to complain about officials not protecting his QB. But Rivera didnt do all he could to help Newton, either. He called 11 runs for Newton, who was hit 17 times, and he never took his QB out of the game, even in the final minute after a hit by safety Darian Stewart left Newton motionless on the ground. The players union has asked why Newton didnt undergo a cognitive exam on the sideline during the game. The NFL is reviewing how the Panthers medical team handled the pinballed QB.FINAL FOUR: Opening weekend pitted the Super Bowl participants and the conference runners-up. Denvers 21-20 win over Carolina in Trevor Siemians first start, and New Englands 23-21 win over Arizona in Jimmy Garoppolos first start came down to missed field goals in the closing seconds. Graham Gano took the blame for pushing his 50-yarder wide left in Carolinas crushing loss. Chandler Catanzaro said his 47-yard miss against the Patriots was on him. But it was really Kameron Canadays low snap that was to blame. The rookie long snapper won the job late in the preseason to replace the reliable Mike Leach, who retired.QB QUANDARY : The Vikings had only seven days to prepare Sam Bradford, so coach Mike Zimmer went with the safe pick and started 15-year veteran Shaun Hill at Tennessee. Hills arm strength is limited and the Titans wisely crowded the line to hold Adrian Peterson to 31 yards on 19 rushes. But Hill delivered plenty of precise throws to the middle of the field and he didnt turn the ball over. The Vikings used three takeaways to fuel a 25-16 victory.NBC commentator Tony Dungy said the Vikings have to start Bradford against Green Bay in Week 2. When colleague Rodney Harrison asked why hed think Bradford is ready, Dungy replied: They traded a No. 1 draft choice for him because they knew they needed him.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell and AP Sports Writers Dave Skretta and Schuyler Dixon contributed. Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '