SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 23 (Ticker) -- Betty Lennox is back to help the Seattle Storm defend their WNBA title.

Lennox scored 12 points in her return to the court to lead five players in double figures as the Storm clinched a playoff berth with a 78-51 rout of the reeling San Antonio Silver Stars.

On-Demand Video from Storm-Silver Stars: Play

Lennox, the 2004 WNBA Finals MVP, had been sidelined since August 4 with an injury. The Storm were just 3-3 without one of their emotional leaders and complementary scorers.

The guard came off the bench and played 14 minutes, making 4-of-5 shots and 4-of-4 free throws. She helped Seattle roll to its second-biggest victory of the season.

The Storm (18-14) opened a one-game lead over Houston in the race for second place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Iziane Castro Marques scored eight of her 11 points in the first half, helping the Storm open a 32-19 lead. Seattle shot 45 percent (14-of-31) from the field and held San Antonio to 20 percent (7-of-35).

Tanisha Wright scored 12 points and Lauren Jackson and Suzy Batkovic added 10 each for the Storm, who also handed the Silver Stars a 79-51 beating on May 29.

Rookie Katie Feenstra scored 14 points for San Antonio (7-26), which has lost eight in a row.