Storm Soars Past the Comets

Lauren Jackson had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to a 75-67 victory over the Houston Comets in the opener Tuesday night of their first-round playoff series at Houston.

Nursing a sore back, Jackson made six of 13 shots and helped the defending champions take a 1-0 lead back to Seattle for Thursday’s Game 2 in the best-of-three series.

The Storm blew an 11-point lead in the second half but recovered in time to stop the Comets, who are looking for their first playoff series victory since 2000.

Betty Lennox had 18 points, making nine of 10 free throws.

Michelle Snow scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half to give the Comets a 50-48 lead with 9:21 left. But the Storm used a 12-3 spurt to take control of the game and never trailed again.

Sheryl Swoopes had 15 points for the Comets.

Seattle opened the game with a 23-10 surge as Jackson scored 10 of the team’s first 17 points.

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Indiana 63, New York 51 -- Tamika Catchings had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Tully Bevilaqua had 14 points to lead the Fever over the Liberty at New York in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Deanna Jackson had nine points, including a pair of tiebreaking free throws with 2:59 left as Indiana closed the game with a 14-2 surge after the Liberty came back from a 10-point deficit.