Jackson shackles Liberty

SEATTLE – Lauren Jackson scored 23 of her season-high 33 points in the first half Thursday night to lead the Seattle Storm to an 84-71 WNBA win over the New York Liberty.

Sue Bird scored a season-high 23 points and had six assists for Seattle (10-7), which remained in third place in the Western Conference with its third win in four games. The Storm improved to 9-1 at home.

Shameka Christon had 19 points to lead New York (8-8). The Liberty dropped into a third-place tie with Indiana in the Eastern Conference.

Jackson scored 12 points in the first quarter and 11 in the second, hitting 9 of 13 from the field in the first half. The Storm held a 51-38 lead at halftime.

Bird had 11 points and four assists as the Storm set a season high with 51 first-half points on 21-for-35 shooting – 60 percent. Seattle shot 46.5 percent for the game.

Bird scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to help hold off a late New York rally. Seattle led by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, but the Liberty cut a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit to seven points with 3:40 remaining.