Storm take Game 1 from Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks’ most troublesome team is really bugging them now.

Lauren Jackson scored 22 points and outplayed fellow former MVP Lisa Leslie to lead the fourth-seeded Seattle Storm to an 84-72 win over the Western Conference’s top seed in Game 1 of the WNBA playoffs on Friday night at roaring KeyArena.

Leslie, who scored 15 points, sank two free throws to pull the Sparks to within 70-66 with 2:27 remaining. But Iziane Castro Marques, who had missed her five previous shots, made a 3-pointer and then forced a Leslie turnover. Marques ended the ensuing fast break with an assist on Jackson’s layup and three-point play. That gave Seattle a 73-66 lead and sealed the win.

Temeka Johnson’s baseline jumper with 5:41 left in the third quarter gave Los Angeles its first lead, 50-48. Johnson followed that with a 3-pointer just more than a minute later that put the Sparks up 55-50.

But Seattle scored 11 of the first 13 points of the fourth quarter to take a 68-61 lead with 5 minutes remaining. Betty Lennox’s 3-pointer gave Seattle a 64-61 lead, and teammates Janell Burse and Tiffani Johnson followed with baskets.

Game 2 of the best-of-3 series is Sunday in Los Angeles, where the Sparks were 15-2 in the regular season. One of those losses was to Seattle.

The Storm is the only team to beat Los Angeles more than once this season, taking two of three from the Sparks.

Sun 76, Mystics 61: At Washington, Katie Douglas and Connecticut used a team effort to shut down Alana Beard and take a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference series against Washington.

All-Star guard Lindsay Whalen had a season-high 22 points and All-Star MVP Douglas added 17 to lead the Sun to a victory.

Former Mystics forward Asjha Jones had 11 points and five rebounds as the Sun snapped a two-game losing streak. Margo Dydek had 12 points and Taj McWilliams-Franklin added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the two-time defending Eastern Conference champion Sun. Washington has not won at Connecticut since 2003.