Mystics Expert BlogGuest Factor Andrew WillettThe Washington Mystics did the work to liquidate the normal period with two double-digit wins over the Indiana Fever to move yet one more regular period series. Washington concluded a period where it belonged well in the short-list of championship competitors from beginning to Mystics ended up 5th in the standings and linked record-wise at 22-14 with its eventual playoff challenger the Seattle Storm. After a strong finish to the period-- champions in 11 of its last 16 video games-- Washington will face the Storm in a best-of-three series beginning this Thursday in what the Mystics wish to make Sue Bird's final playoff the FeverWashington took two success by twelve factors an item over the bottom-seeded Indiana Fever, winning the road match 82-70 and the home competition 95-83. The success relocated Washington to 4-0 versus the Fever this period, its initial sweep of Indiana considering that 2019. It likewise amounted to the fourth move of the Fever in the previous 6 periods and the sixth collection victory over Indiana in the previous seven periods as the team holds a 17-2 record over the Fever since the 2017 Mystics both controlled the Fever and found its rhythm starting with its two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne. EDD established the tone and maintained her mins reduced to remain fresh for the postseason by dropping 24 points and 7 rebounds on Friday in only 28 minutes prior to scoring 22 points on 8/13 capturing on Sunday while staying under 25 minutes. Back-to-back 20+ factor games brought her overall of 20+ point video games to 10, one of the most on the team as she racked up dual numbers in 21 of her 25 from EDD's regular domination on both ends of the court, every Mystic that played racked up at least when in both video games with the exception of one player in Sunday's video game. Five Mystics racked up 8 or more on Friday with 9 Mystics striking 5+ on Sunday. On Friday, beginners Ariel Atkins and Alysha Clark each chipped in nine factors with Natasha Cloud and Shakira Austin including six an item. Off the bench, Elizabeth Williams came with as the second-leading marker with 10 points in her 17 mins followed by eight points from Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and 6 from Tiana Hawkins. In game 2, Atkins set up 15 points, Austin pieced together 11 and Cloud went down 10. The bench mob maintained the show going as Walker-Kimbrough and Hawkins racked up eight a piece without Myisha Hines-Allen was out for health and wellness 15 factors put her over the top for 2000 job factors in her 150th career video game and made her just the seventh gamer and fourth-fastest in group history to get to 2000 factors. The getaway equaled her career-best 32nd out of 36 appearances getting to double-figure scoring this period. Austin's 11 points included 6 rebounds, equaling her 28th game with 5+ rebounds, leading all rookies and linking Chamique Holdsclaw for the most 5+ rebound video games by a Mystics newbie. While Williams blazed a trail off the bench, Walker-Kimbrough is greater than deserving of a shoutout as she taped 5 swipes, the most by a Mystics gamer all period. Rui Machida additionally showed important with the postseason simply nearby by tallying six helps together with a career-high 4 takes. Her six assists created her 3rd 4+ aid video game over her last 4 continued the improved crime by scoring 57 factors in the initial half on its method to 95 factors, both season-high marks. The team taped 95 points for its most considering that 6-17-21 versus the Atlanta Dream as the group balanced 82.1 points per game over its last nine games. The squad did so behind back-to-back 20+ help video games in both outings as Washington helped on 26 of 31 field objectives and 21 of 29 basket. Obviously, the very best protection in the league additionally radiated through as the Mystics eliminated a season-high 14 swipes, one of the most considering that Washington swiped 15 from the New York Liberty on 9-12-20. Getting ready for the SeattleAt 22-14, the Mystics put together its 3rd 20+ win season in its last five and made the playoffs for the nine time under Head Coach Mike Thibault. As the fifth-seed, the squad will tackle the fourth-seed in a best-of-three playoff collection with a 2-1 style. The 2-1 format suggests Washington will certainly require to win one video game when driving to earn a home championship game 3. That fourth-seed is the Seattle Storm. So, allow's prepare for the postseason with a malfunction of exactly how these teams , the matchups. While each team completed 22-14, Seattle gained the fourth-seed based on the head-to-head tiebreaker, winning 2 out of three games over the Mystics. Washington lost the initial two games 85-71 and 82-77 prior to winning 78-75. In each of the initial two matchups, the end result boiled down to substantial fourth-quarter runs by the Storm. The Mystics win came in a back-to-back against Seattle. Delle Donne led the means in the very first 2 video games and racked up 17+ in all three, however Ariel Atkins led all scorers with 23 factors in the sway Seattle. Her effect and specifically her racking up will certainly stand out as a huge x-factor come this playoff win-loss total amounts pair up all the same, yet these two groups share many resemblances in the statistics division. Factors per game: Washington 80.2, Seattle 82.5. Points per video game permitted: Washington 75.9, Seattle 78.4. Field goal portion: Washington 43.9%, Seattle 44.2%. Three-point percentage: Washington 33.8%, Seattle 36.1%. Rebounds per game: Washington 34.9, Seattle 33.6. Assists per video game: Washington 20.3, Seattle 22.6. Turnovers per video game: Washington 13.7, Seattle 13.4. Steals per video game: Washington 7.6, Seattle 8.3. Plus/Minus: Washington +4.4, Seattle +4.1. Advanced metrics and miscellaneous statistics tell the very same story. Offending score: Washington 101.1, Seattle 102.6. Defensive ranking: Washington 96, Seattle 97.4. Efficient basket portion: Washington 49.6%, Seattle 50.9%. Web ranking: Washington +5.1, Seattle +5.2. Rate: Washington 94.05, Seattle 96.18. Points off turnovers: Washington 16.6, Seattle 17.3. Second-chance factors: Washington 9.1, Seattle 9.9. Rapid break points: Washington 6.9, Seattle 12.0. Factors in the paint: Washington 34.1 https://www.storenewyorkliberty.com, Seattle 32.8. And the competitions and star power land off the charts as we obtain to view Elena Delle Donne and Breanna Stewart contest in an ideal of three. The point player fight in between WNBA aids leader Natasha Cloud and Sue Bird in her last period need to be enjoyable. Rating guards Ariel Atkins and Jewell Loyd will certainly try to terminate the other out. Defensive gems, Alysha Clark and Gabby Williams will match up against the opposing group's finest boundary player. And the facility match in between the young Shakira Austin and Tina Charles will certainly round out the enjoyable to be had all in one two teams match up extremely well together and the basketball also confirmed significant. Seattle constantly out-assists Washington while the Mystics out-rebound the Storm in their competitions which boiled down to a deficiency of 7.3 factors and simply 4 factors in the last 2 games. With a few of the most effective games of the period from the whole WNBA interposing these two squads, the WNBA globe is in for a reward as soon as this series starts Thursday, August 18th at 10 p.m. ET. Game 2 ideas off on Sunday, August 21st at 4 p.m. ET. With each of the first 2 video games taking place in Seattle at Environment Pledge Arena, Washington will certainly require to steal a video game on the roadway to earn a game at Amusement Sports Sector in front of its home fans which would certainly take area on Wednesday, August 24th.