23-1 run by Seattle ruins opener for Sky

SEATTLE -- Lauren Jackson scored 14 points and Sue Bird added 13 points and 7 assists and the Seattle Storm beat the Chicago Sky 67-61 in the teams' season opener on Saturday night.

The Storm (1-0) overcame cold shooting in the first half and went on a 23-1 scoring run -- including 12-0 to end the third quarter -- to pull ahead.

The Sky was led Chasity Melvin, who came off the bench to score 13 points. Jia Perkins added 10. Candice Dupree had 7 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Sky.

The Storm struggled to score in the first half. Seattle shot 29.4 percent (10-for-34) during the first 20 minutes and trailed 35-29 at halftime.

The third-year Sky, looking for its first regular-season victory against the Storm in five tries, extended the lead to 38-29 early in the third quarter as Seattle missed its first 7 shots after halftime.

But the Storm hit 13 of its last 18 shots in the third quarter to get back into the game. They tied it at 47-47 on Jackson's turnaround 10-footer, and went in front for good when Swoopes stole the ball and hit Bird for a fast-break lay-in.

Seattle extended the lead to 17 points during the fourth when Jackson hit a short shot and the ensuing free throw to cap the 23-1 run.

Swoopes, formerly of Houston, and Griffith, from Sacramento, signed during the offseason as free agents. Swin Cash, another league all-star acquired from Detroit in an off-season trade, also had 13 points for Seattle.