WNBA : Jackson leads Storm to win over Sparks

All-Star starter Lauren Jackson burned the Sparks again, scoring 11 of her 23 points in the third quarter to help the Seattle Storm pull away from Los Angeles 90-71 on Tuesday night in Seattle.

Jackson, the reigning WNBA player of the week, was 7 for 15 from the floor as Seattle won for the fourth time in its last five games. Jackson matched her career high with 35 points the last time she played Los Angeles on June 24.

Betty Lennox added 18 points and Sue Bird had 10 points and 11 assists for the Storm.

Seattle took a 40-36 lead into halftime after Jackson’s 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the first half. The momentum carried into the third quarter, where Seattle scored 20 of the first 26 points, eight of those coming from Jackson. The Storm extended their lead to 20 on Lennox’s off-balance putback at the third quarter buzzer and led by 24 in the fourth.

Los Angeles continued to struggle since the abrupt retirement of All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw on June 11. Los Angeles won its first two games after its leading scorer suddenly walked away, but the Sparks have dropped seven of their last nine and are two games behind Seattle for fourth in the Western Conference.

Reserve Kiesha Brown led Los Angeles with 16 points, but she had little help. Leading scorers Marta Fernandez and Taj McWilliams-Franklin were both held under double figures.

Silver Stars 84, Mystics 79: At Washington, Sophia Young matched her season-high with 24 points and Erin Buescher added 19 points as San Antonio defeated the Mystics.

Ruth Riley and Vickie Johnson each scored 10 points for the Silver Stars.

Mercury 95, Lynx 79: At Minneapolis, Minnesota native Kelly Miller scored a season-high 16 points and Phoenix held off a late rally by the Lynx for its third straight victory.

Diana Taurasi returned from a two-game suspension to score 15 points and tied a career high with nine assists for Phoenix.