ORLANDO, Fla., July 25 (UPI) -- Lauren Jackson scored five of her career-high 27 points in the final 84 seconds Thursday night as the Seattle Storm snapped a two-game losing streak with a 79-76 victory over the Orlando Miracle.
Seattle is having its best season after the arrival of star rookie Sue Bird and pulled within three games of Portland in the battle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with eight games left.
The Storm (11-13), who have never made the playoffs, surpassed last season's win total.
Seattle took the lead for good, 69-67, on a three-pointer by newly acquired Kate Starbird with 3:42 remaining. But the Storm could not pull away and were clinging to a 72-71 lead after Orlando's Clarisse Machanguana made a layup at 2:01.
Jackson responded with a jumper 37 seconds later and was fouled but missed the ensuing free throw. Shannon Johnson sank a jumper with 58 seconds left, bringing the Miracle within 74-73.
Simone Edwards answered with a jump shot and Jackson made three of four free throws in the final 21 seconds as the Storm won for just the third time in eight games.
Edwards finished with 18 points and nine rebounds and Bird collected 10 points and 11 assists for Seattle, which shot 50 percent from the floor.
Johnson scored 17 points and Wendy Palmer added 15 and seven rebounds as Orlando shot 46 percent but made just five of 18 three-pointers and went to the line only 16 times on its home floor.
Machanguana had 12 points and Nykesha Sales 10 for the Miracle, who have lost three straight and fell one game behind the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
