Jackson helps Storm shut down Lynx
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Lauren Jackson had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to an 88-71 victory over Minnesota on Friday night, handing the Lynx their first loss of the season.
Tanish Wright scored 17 points and Sue Bird and Swin Cash added 15 each for the Storm (3-1), who shot 57 percent (35 for 62) from the field. Bird also had nine assists and Wright added seven.
Charde Houston scored 18 points, Seimone Augustus had 15 and rookie Renee Montgomery 10 for Minnesota (3-1). Candice Wiggins finished with seven points, nearly nine points below her average.
The Lynx came in averaging a league-best 95.0 points, but were shut down by the WNBA's top-ranked defense, which had allowed 68.0.
Minnesota opened the game shooting 3 for 18 over the first 14 minutes, and finished 27 for 62 (44 percent). The Lynx were also just 13 for 24 (54 percent) on free throws.
Seattle led 42-30 at halftime and stretched the margin to 14 entering the fourth. The Lynx pulled within six early in the final period, but that was as close as they got.
The Storm used an 8-2 run to push its lead to 79-64 on Bird's 3-pointer with 5:34 to play.
Cash guarded Augustus for almost the entire a game and kept her from scoring a field goal until less than 3 minutes remained in the first half.
Tanish Wright scored 17 points and Sue Bird and Swin Cash added 15 each for the Storm (3-1), who shot 57 percent (35 for 62) from the field. Bird also had nine assists and Wright added seven.
Charde Houston scored 18 points, Seimone Augustus had 15 and rookie Renee Montgomery 10 for Minnesota (3-1). Candice Wiggins finished with seven points, nearly nine points below her average.
The Lynx came in averaging a league-best 95.0 points, but were shut down by the WNBA's top-ranked defense, which had allowed 68.0.
Minnesota opened the game shooting 3 for 18 over the first 14 minutes, and finished 27 for 62 (44 percent). The Lynx were also just 13 for 24 (54 percent) on free throws.
Seattle led 42-30 at halftime and stretched the margin to 14 entering the fourth. The Lynx pulled within six early in the final period, but that was as close as they got.
The Storm used an 8-2 run to push its lead to 79-64 on Bird's 3-pointer with 5:34 to play.
Cash guarded Augustus for almost the entire a game and kept her from scoring a field goal until less than 3 minutes remained in the first half.