Seattle Has Edge for Playoffs

Sue Bird scored a franchise-high 33 points as the Storm beat Portland, 83-74, Friday night before 12,327 at Seattle to take a half-game lead over the Fire in the race for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Seattle (16-14) prevented Portland (16-15) from clinching the fourth Western Conference playoff berth and took the season series, 2-1, to win the playoff tiebreaker between the teams.

New York 74, Washington 66--Becky Hammon made five of six three-point attempts and matched her career high with 22 points as the Liberty (18-12) clinched the Eastern Conference title with the win before 18,234 at Washington. New York took a two-game lead over Washington (16-14) and Charlotte (16-14). Chamique Holdsclaw’s 23 points led Washington.

Charlotte 68, Minnesota 62--The Sting’s Kelly Miller, a former Minnesota high school star, scored 15 points before 7,202 at Minneapolis as Charlotte beat the Lynx (10-20) to clinch a playoff spot. Katie Smith scored 24 points for Minnesota.

Miami 65, Cleveland 59--Sheri Sam scored 18 points and Betty Lennox sparked a second-half rally as host Miami (14-16) beat the Rockers (10-20) before 9,279 to improve its playoff chances. Miami moved into a tie with Orlando and Indiana for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.

Detroit 55, Indiana 54--The Shock (9-21) won for the third time in four games and improved to 9-11 under former Piston player Bill Laimbeer with the victory over the Fever (14-16) before 7,524 at Auburn Hills, Mich.