HOUSTON, July 6, 2007 (AP) -- Lauren Jackson scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to a 71-55 win over the Houston Comets on Friday night.

Jackson made 11 of her 17 shots and helped the Storm (10-7) to their third straight win and first without star point guard Sue Bird, who will miss at least a month after having arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday.

Betty Lennox keyed a pivotal third quarter and finished with 16 points for Seattle, which won for the fifth time in six games after losing three of four.

The Storm's only blemish recently was an 81-76 loss at Houston on June 28.

Tina Thompson scored 14 points for the Comets (4-13) who were held to their season low in points and have dropped back-to-back games after winning four of five.

Hamchetou Maiga-Ba and Sancho Lyttle each scored 10 points in the game, but Lyttle scored just four points after making three straight shots in the games opening minutes.

Tamecka Dixon, who was signed earlier this week, missed three of her four field goal attempts and finished with just two points.

After Houston scored the first six points of the third quarter to take a 39-35 lead - their biggest of the game - Jackson started a 14-0 run with a three point play and Lennox finished it to give the Storm a 49-39 lead with 5:24 left in the quarter.

Trailing by seven points, the Comets rallied with a 9-0 run in the closing minutes of the first half to take a 33-31 lead with 1:50 to go.

Lennox scored five of those nine points, but the Storm scored the final four points of the half to take a 35-33 lead at the break.

Jackson made seven of her nine first half shots and led all scorers with 19 points in the first 20 minutes.