Ebony Hoffman's two big plays put the Indiana Fever one win away from their first WNBA title.

She hit the jumper that gave her team a one-point lead with 57 seconds left, then blocked Tangela Smith's shot with a second remaining to help host Indiana defeat Phoenix, 86-85, in Game 3 of the finals yesterday. The Fever took a 2-1 lead in the series and can clinch the championship with a win at home Wednesday.

Indiana forward Tamika Catchings said Hoffman has been a force since going through a slump at the end of the regular season.

"In the playoffs, she's stepped up her game and done such big things, especially in the Phoenix series, playing unbelievable, out of her mind," Catchings said. "That's awesome to see that, especially with the hard work she's put in over the years."

Hoffman, who led Indiana with 18 points, did it all with a sprained right shoulder. She left the game with 7:21 left and returned with 3:40 to play.

"My shoulder just popped out and went back in," Hoffman said. "It's just going to hurt."

Catchings had 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, Briann January scored 17 points, and Katie Douglas had 15.

Cappie Pondexter led Phoenix with 23 points and Le'coe Willingham added 17. Diana Taurasi, the league's MVP, scored 18 points but shot 6-for-16 from the field.

The lead seesawed throughout the fourth quarter.

Hoffman's long shot from the left corner put Indiana ahead in the final minute. The officials reviewed it to determine if she was behind the arc and concluded it was a 2-pointer, giving Indiana an 86-85 lead.

Pondexter rushed downcourt and missed a layup, and Catchings rebounded. Then Indiana missed twice in close, but got the offensive rebound. January dribbled the ball out of bounds with 22 seconds left, though, to give Phoenix a final chance.

Pondexter missed a short jumper, and Catchings went for the rebound. She tried to call timeout, but Willingham tied her up and a jump ball was called.

Catchings felt she had called the timeout.

"I got the rebound looking for a referee to call timeout, but Le'coe got there, and I guess they felt like her hands were on the ball," Catchings said.

Willingham won the jump ball, and Phoenix called timeout with 3.4 seconds left to set up Smith's final shot that Hoffman rejected.

SOCCER

DYNAMO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

The Houston Dynamo clinched a playoff berth and moved into a tie atop the Western Conference after blowing a second-half lead yesterday in a 1-1 tie against the Kansas City Wizards at Houston.

Luis Angel Landin's goal put Houston ahead in the 26th minute, but Kansas City's Zoltan Hercegfalvi scored in the 73rd minute against a Dynamo team that was down to 10 men.

Instead of taking over sole possession of the top spot in the West, Houston (12-8-8) settled for a tie with Los Angeles at 44 points and assured itself of a return to the postseason.

Kansas City (8-11-8) remained in sixth place in the East, six points out of a playoff spot after increasing its unbeaten streak to four games (2-0-2).

The Dynamo were playing without leading goal-scorer Brian Ching, who was serving a one-game suspension after receiving a red card on Sept. 19.

Ching, a Kamehameha Schools alum from Hale'iwa, has eight goals this season.

NBA

WRIGHT NEEDS SURGERY

An MRI revealed that Golden State Warriors forward Brandan Wright has damage to the capsule in his left shoulder that will require surgery, it was learned yesterday.

No timetable has been set for surgery on the third-year forward, who impressed coach Don Nelson in training camp and was expected to contribute regularly this season.

Wright, who turns 22 today, suffered the injury during practice Friday.