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Storm, Comets open WNBA playoffs

Seattle`s Lauren Jackson and Houston`s Sheryl Swoopes probably won`t be guarding each other. But maybe the two All-Star forwards and leading Most Valuable Player candidates should take a shot at it when the Storm and Comets open the WNBA playoffs tonight at Houston. After all, none of Jackson`s teammates have been able to slow down Houston`s 6-foot scoring machine during four regular-season games. And nobody on Swoopes` side was much able to contain Seattle`s 6`5" Aussie.

"There were two MVPs on the floor. With Sheryl on one end and Lauren on the other end, it was fun to watch," Storm coach Anne Donovan said after Jackson went for 27 points and nine rebounds while Swoopes countered with a career-high 34 points in Seattle`s 71-68 victory in KeyArena on Aug. 9. The Comets and the defending champion Storm tip off their best-of-3 Western Conference semifinal at 6:30 tonight in the Toyota Center, with Game 2 set for the Key at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The teams split four regular-season games, each winning twice at home. The Storm outscored Houston by just six, 289-283, with the four games being decided by margins of 10, four, three and three. While Jackson tallied 68 points in the four games (she was benched for most of the second half in a 71-67 loss at Houston on June 28), Swoopes supplied 94 of the Comets", points against Seattle -- a full one-third of their offense -- with outings of 16, 21 and 23 in addition to the 34. Swoopes wound up edging Jackson for the league scoring title, 18.6 per game to 17.9.