Jackson leads Storm to season-opener win

Lauren Jackson led the Seattle Storm to an impressive debut when they defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, 81-67, in their first game of the season, Monday, at the Key Arena in Seattle.

Jackson scored a game-high 23 points, 17 of it coming in the first half of the game. She also did her part on the defensive end limiting Sparks’ superstar Candace Parker to only ten points and his smothering defense gained praises from her coach and teammates.

“Candace Parker is a great player; there is no question about it. But Lauren Jackson’s defense tonight was unbelievable,” Seattle coach Brian Agler said. “We have some (players) who can stay with Candace and a lot of teams don’t have that. Lauren really did a great job.” He added.

The game was close in the first three Quarters before Sue Bird and Tanisha Wright sparked a big run in the Fourth Quarter giving them a 15-point lead, 79-64, with 2:18 left in the match. The Storm never looked back handling the Sparks their second straight defeat.


Lauren Jackson’s impressive debut was her first game since August last year. He missed the final six regular season games of the Storm and the entire WNBA Playoffs because of a stress fracture in her back.


In the other WNBA action, newly-acquired Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points to give the New York Liberty an 85-82 win against the Chicago Sky in their first game of the season.


Taj McWilliams – Franklin and Nicole Powell, who are also making their debut in a New York Liberty uniform, scored 20 and 11 points, respectively.


At the Target Center in Minnesota, Monique Currie erupted for 17 points to lead the Washington Mystics to an 87-76 dismantling of the Minnesota Lynx.


The win spoiled Lindsay Whalen’s debut for the Lynx after being traded from the Connecticut Sun in January along with the No.2 Pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft. Whalen finished the game with 12 points to go with her seven assists and four rebounds.


In Atlanta, the Atlanta Dream bagged a thrilling 66-62 victory against the Indiana Fever losing their second straight game. Erika Desouza finished the game with 14 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to give the Dream their first win of the season.