AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)- The defending champion Sacramento Monarchs got off to a record-breaking start in the WNBA finals.

Kara Lawson scored 22 points, Nicole Powell had 21 and DeMya Walker added 17 – each reaching career playoff highs – to lead the Monarchs past the Detroit Shock 95-71 Wednesday night in Game 1, breaking finals scoring records for a half and a game.

The Monarchs’ high-scoring trio had at least 11 points each to help Sacramento score a record 53 points in the first half, and lead by 15. They helped Sacramento close strong and break Detroit’s record of 83 points in the Game 3 clinching victory over the Los Angeles Sparks in 2003.

The Monarchs led by as much as 21 in the third quarter and coasted to the victory.

Cheryl Ford led the Shock with 25 points, Katie Smith had 21 and Deanna Nolan added 14. They didn’t get much help, scoring 45 of the team’s 52 points after three quarters. Swin Cash was scoreless in 11 minutes and Ruth Riley scored just two points in 15 minutes.

Game 2 is Friday night at The Palace in suburban Detroit before the best-of-five series shifts to Sacramento.

The Monarchs’ balance, which included Yolanda Griffith’s 17 points, and depth with nine key players were too much for the Shock in the opener.

Detroit scored the first points of the game, and that was their highlight of the night.

Sacramento used eight players in the first quarter, taking a 26-20 led with Lawson, Powell and Walker scoring eight apiece.

The Monarchs led 53-38 at halftime – surpassing Houston’s record of 48 in the second half in a 1998 finals game. Sacramento led 70-52 entering the fourth quarter and didn’t have to hold off Detroit, which seemed to lack energy from the start.

When Detroit beat the Los Angeles Sparks three years ago for the title, it drew an WNBA-record 22,076 fans after 17,846 turned out for its other home game in 2003.

The crowd was much less impressive Wednesday night as most of the upper deck was covered by black curtains and each of the lower-level sections had pockets of empty seats.

Notes: Monarchs owners Joe and Gavin Maloof sat in the front row, across from their team’s bench, and Shock owner Bill Davidson was in his usual baseline seat next to Detroit’s reserves. … Other faces in the crowd included Detroit Pistons stars Dale Davis and Jason Maxiell, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Maurice Evans. … If Game 5 is necessary, it will be at Joe Louis Arena because the Shock’s home arena is booked for a Mariah Carey concert.

AP-ES-08-30-06 2212EDT