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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Storm unleash fury

Jackson leads way for quick-start Seattle

Jackson (Dusan Vranic / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

SEATTLE – Lauren Jackson scored 21 of her 26 points in the first half on Friday night, and the Seattle Storm shot nearly 73 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes on the way to a 90-62 rout of the Minnesota Lynx.

Janell Burse added a season-high 14 points for Seattle, which beat Minnesota for the second time in a week and has won six straight against the Lynx.

Candice Wiggins scored 12 points to lead Minnesota and Charde Houston had 11 points.

The Lynx learned before the game that All-Star forward Seimone Augustus will be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Augustus was No. 3 in WNBA scoring at 21.0 points per game. She tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during Wednesday’s 104-80 loss at Phoenix. Surgery has yet to be scheduled.

Seattle hit seven of its eight shots during the second quarter and 16 of 22 in the first half for a 55-32 halftime lead. The Storm closed the half with a 19-3 run after the Lynx got within seven at 36-29.

Minnesota never came closer than 18 points in the second half.

Jackson, the league’s second-leading scorer at 22.6 points per game, has topped the 20-point mark in all six games this season. She also had six rebounds on Friday.

Sue Bird, the WNBA assists leader at 6.8 per game, handed out a season-high 10.

For the game, the Storm hit 50 percent (26 of 52). The Lynx shot just 29.3 percent (17 of 58).

At 4-2, the Storm are one game behind Phoenix (5-1) in the WNBA’s Western Conference standings. Minnesota is 4-3, another half-game behind Seattle.