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Posts tagged as “Washington Mystics”

WNBA First-Round Game 1 Roundup, Upset by Liberty, Fever missing their Big 3

September 28, 2026
WNBA First-Round Game 1 Roundup, Upset by Liberty, Fever missing their Big 3

The opening salvo of the WNBA postseason did not disappoint. Game 1 across the First-Round matchups set an intense baseline for the rest of the series. With early-series momentum on the line, home-court advantages were defended, high-profile road upsets delivered early drama, and championship contenders laid down explicit statements.

Here is a full breakdown of how Game 1 unfolded across the league.

New York Liberty 91, Minnesota Lynx 75

  • Location: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Series State: New York leads 1–0

In one of the most compelling matchups on the schedule, the New York Liberty delivered a dominant performance on the road to silence the crowd in Minneapolis. New York controlled the pace from the early going, utilizing crisp ball movement and structured perimeter defense to disrupt Minnesota’s rhythm.

Key Performers & Turning Point

  • Execution Breakdown: The Liberty pulled away after half-time, capitalized on transition opportunities, and restricted high-efficiency looks inside.
  • Impact: Stealing Game 1 away from home puts immense pressure on Minnesota heading into Game 2.

Las Vegas Aces 102, Indiana Fever 85

  • Location: Michelob ULTRA Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Series State:Las Vegas leads 1–0

The Storyline

The championship-caliber Las Vegas Aces put on an offensive clinic at home, breaking the 100-point threshold to handle a spirited Indiana Fever squad. Las Vegas used their veteran playoff experience to weather an early perimeter push from Indiana before pulling away in the second half.

Key Performers & Turning Point

  • Execution Breakdown: The Aces’ inside-out offensive balance proved too much to contain, generating high-percentage paint points and baseline cuts.
  • Impact: Indiana showcased flashes of rapid transition scoring, but costly turnovers prevented them from keeping pace with Las Vegas’ relentless firepower down the stretch.

Atlanta Dream 92, Washington Mystics 77

  • Location: State Farm Arena (Atlanta, GA)
  • Series State: Atlanta leads 1–0

The Storyline

After falling behind 41–36 at half-time following a sluggish opening two quarters, the Atlanta Dream exploded in the third quarter to completely upend the Washington Mystics. Atlanta flipped the switch defensively and dominated the second half.

Key Performers & Turning Point

  • Rhyne Howard & Allisha Gray: Gray led all scorers with 17 points, while Howard took control in the third period by scoring 12 of her 16 points to anchor the game-altering run. Dewanna Bonner added 11 third-quarter points to solidify the surge.
  • Turning Point: Atlanta forced 7 third-quarter turnovers, converting them into 14 quick points while holding Washington to just 20% shooting in the period.

Golden State Valkyries 104, Dallas Wings 80

  • Location: Chase Center (San Francisco, CA)
  • Series State: Golden State leads 1–0<

The Storyline

Making their mark on the playoff stage at Chase Center, the Golden State Valkyries made quick work of the Dallas Wings in a 24-point blowout. Golden State establish early tempo, crashing the glass aggressively and running the floor at every opportunity.

Key Performers & Turning Point

  • Execution Breakdown: Golden State scored effortlessly in transition, building an early double-digit lead that Dallas could never meaningfully chip away at.
  • Impact: The Valkyries set a firm defensive blueprint, limiting Dallas’ primary interior options and taking full advantage of home-court momentum.

Strategic Takeaways Ahead of Game 2

  • Protecting Home Court Isn’t Guaranteed: New York showed that home advantage can vanish quickly if road teams strike early with intense defensive game plans.
  • Third-Quarter Adjustments: Half-time adjustments were the deciding factor in games like Atlanta vs. Washington, where forcing live-ball turnovers completely re-routed the series trajectory.
  • Elimination Pressure: With the short First-Round format, every trailing team now faces an immediate high-stakes Game 2 where season survival is on the line.

It’ll be interesting to see what adjustments the losing teams make in Game 2. If no adjustments are made, this will be a short series.

2026 WNBA Playoffs Tip Off: First-Round Matchups Set for Sunday

September 25, 2026
2026 WNBA Playoffs Tip Off: First-Round Matchups Set for Sunday

The 2026 WNBA regular season has officially concluded, setting up a high-stakes first round of the postseason starting Sunday, September 27. With a competitive 44-game slate in the books, eight teams now advance to battle in the best-of-three quarterfinal series.

The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx (33-11) lead the postseason field after locking up the league’s best record, driven by stellar rookie playmaker Olivia Miles and forward Napheesa Collier. Minnesota faces a dangerous opening-round challenge against the No. 8 New York Liberty (26-18), who boast Championship-caliber star power in Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

In the second seed, the expansion Golden State Valkyries (32-12) cap off a historic inaugural run powered by the WNBA’s top-rated defense. They host Paige Bueckers and the No. 7 Dallas Wings (27-17).

Meanwhile, the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces (31-13) hold the No. 3 seed and square off against Caitlin Clark and the No. 6 Indiana Fever (28-16) in a blockbuster matchup featuring two of the league’s premier offenses. Rounding out the bracket, the No. 4 Atlanta Dream host the No. 5 Washington Mystics in a tightly contested 4-vs-5 clash. Game 1 action tips off this Sunday, across ABC, Prime, and USA Network.

Mystics routs Fever Following Dominant First Half (93–77)

September 21, 2026
Mystics routs Fever Following Dominant First Half (93–77)

The Indiana Fever suffered a tough 93–77 loss at home to the Washington Mystics, a defeat largely driven by a bad performance in the first half.

Indiana struggled early as Washington opened the game on a hot shooting run, outscoring the Fever 34–19 in the first quarter. The Fever struggled to find offensive rhythm, going cold from perimeter range and getting out-rebounded inside. The Fever shot 21% from the 3-point line and 37% from the field. With the Mystics extending their lead to as many as 26 points, Indiana headed into halftime down 51–30. Despite a second-half push led by Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.

Full game highlights;

This loss carries major playoff implications for the Fever (27–15). The Mystics (26–16) pulled within just one game of Indiana for the No. 5 seed, while the Fever lost crucial ground in their push for top-four playoff hosting privileges. With only two regular-season games remaining, Indiana faces a challenging final stretch against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx to protect their postseason positioning.

Unpacking the 2026 WNBA Playoff Matchups and Stretch Run

August 26, 2026
Unpacking the 2026 WNBA Playoff Matchups and Stretch Run

The 2026 WNBA regular season field has officially locked in its eight postseason contenders. With the Minnesota Lynx leading the pack and the Dallas Wings clinching the final spot, the stretch run is entirely focused on home-court advantage and matchup control.

The eight teams heading to the 2026 WNBA Playoffs are set:

  • Minnesota Lynx (31–8) – League leaders with top seed control.
  • Golden State Valkyries (26–11) – Expansion powerhouse holding the 2-seed.
  • Las Vegas Aces (26–13) – Holding steady in top-three position.
  • Atlanta Dream (25–13) – Surged into fourth behind strong two-way play.
  • Indiana Fever (25–14) – Fast-paced offense battling for top-four seeding.
  • New York Liberty (23–15) – Dangerous mid-table squad looking to move up.
  • Washington Mystics (23–15) – Tied with New York heading down the stretch.
  • Dallas Wings (23–16) – Punched the final postseason ticket.

Seeding Implications & Matchup Breakdown

Seed Range Teams Involved Key Regular Season Implications
Top Seed (#1) Minnesota Lynx Minnesota has established clear distance. The main goal down the stretch is managing player workload while locking up home-court advantage throughout the postseason.
First-Round Home-Court (#2 – #5) Golden State, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Indiana Golden State, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Indiana are locked in a tight battle. Earning a top-four seed guarantees host status for the first round, making head-to-head tiebreakers crucial.
Middle-Tier Threat (#6 – #7) New York Liberty, Washington Mystics Both squads sit side-by-side. Finishing 6th avoids a first-round series against Minnesota, making every remaining game against playoff-bound opposition vital.
Underdog Slot (#8) Dallas Wings Dallas clinched the final berth and will likely draw a tough first-round matchup against Minnesota or Golden State.

With 5 to 6 games left in the regular season, seeding and playoff matchups could still change significantly before the postseason begins on September 27, 2026.

Mystics Outlast Fire in a Quadruple-Overtime Thriller (124 – 123)

June 29, 2026

It took four overtime periods and every last drop of energy on the floor, but the Washington Mystics finally outlasted the Portland Fire 124–123 in one of the most exhausting and electrifying games of the 2026 WNBA season. The 3-hour, 35-minute marathon featured 21 ties and 12 lead changes, completely exhausting both rosters.

The game finally ended in a dramatic fourth overtime. With under two minutes remaining, the squads traded desperate possessions. Fighting through severe leg cramps, Washington’s Sonia Citron caught a clutch pass and converted a gritty layup to give the Mystics a 124-122 lead with just 21.4 seconds on the clock. Portland’s rookie sensation Carla Leite attacked the basket on the next possession, drawing a foul with 13.1 seconds left. Under immense pressure, Leite split her free throws, leaving the Fire trailing by one. After a frantic scramble, Leite got one final look—a driving runner at the buzzer—but it bounced off the back rim as time expired.

Full game highlights;

Sonia Citron led all scorers with a career-high 32 points for the Mystics. Portland was propelled by Carla Leite, who mirrored Citron with her own career-high 32 points alongside 9 assists, while Sarah Ashlee Barker added 25 on 62.5% shooting and 6 rebounds.

Next
Portland Fire will visit the Seattle Storm on Saturday, while Washington Mystics will host the Atlanta Dream on Thursday.

Caitlin Clark Comes Up Clutch in Fever Win vs Mystics: Takeaways  

June 9, 2026

Robin Lundberg, reporting for SI;

Caitlin Clark hit the shot that she and the Indiana Fever had to have. The Fever lost a 17-point lead and found themselves down one with 4.3 seconds remaining—enter Clark.

Clark nailed a 31-foot three-pointer from the left wing, leaving the Mystics with just 1.2 seconds on the clock. Indiana was able to hold on the other end to secure a much-needed victory, and avoid another bad loss after being in front, like what happened against the New York Liberty in their last game.

Here’s that Caitlin Clark three-pointer to give the Fever a one-point lead and eventually win the game (78 – 76).

Read the great “takeaways” on the source article.

This is a great win for Indiana, especially considering the backlash that will appears from CC critics add the potential damage to her confidence and the team’s morale, particularly since she is currently in a shooting slump.

Here’s some game highlights from last night’s game between the Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics;

Next for the Fever will be at home against the Chicago Sky, while the Washington Mystics will also be heading home and try to snap a two-game losing streak against the Toronto Tempo.

Sonia Citron’s Career-High 30 Powers Mystics Win Over the Fever, Spoiling Caitlin Clark’s 32-Point Overtime Surge (104 – 102)

May 16, 2026

In a thrilling, high-scoring overtime showdown, the Washington Mystics edged out the Indiana Fever 104–102 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, lit up by an spectacular guard battle between Caitlin Clark and Sonia Citron.

Clark once again proved her status as a late-game mastermind, fueling a fierce Indiana comeback after the Fever fell behind by 14 points in the second half. The phenom guard exploded for 17 points in the fourth quarter alone, capping her performance with a clutch, contested 3-pointer with just 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 89 and force overtime. She finished with a game-high 32 points, eight assists, and seven 3-pointers, carrying the offensive load despite struggling with efficiency on 10-of-28 shooting.

However, Citron countered with a masterclass in scoring efficiency to seal the road victory for Washington. The stellar guard racked up a career-high 30 points on an incredibly efficient 10-of-14 shooting from the floor while adding six rebounds and four assists. Citron’s steady hand proved decisive in the extra period, where she orchestrated the offense with five critical points and two assists to hold off the Fever and cement an early-season statement win.

Game highlights;

The Washington Mystics get the overtime dub over the Fever 104-102 🚨

Sonia Citron: 30 PTS (career-high) | 6 REB | 4 AST
Kiki Iriafen: 25 PTS (career-high) | 13 REB | 2 AST
Shakira Austin: 19 PTS | 9 REB | 5 3AST | 3 BLKS

Next

The Indiana Fever will remain at home to face the Seattle Storm, while the Mystics will travel to Dallas. Both games will be this Sunday evening.

Fever routs Mystics to clinch playoff spot (94 – 65)

September 8, 2025

The Indiana Fever has secured their playoff spot after defeating the Washington Mystics (94 – 65). Fever clinched the playoff despite missing five players to season-ending injuries, including their Superstar Caitlin Clark to groin injury.

It was a competitive first half, with the Fever leading by just seven points. But in the 3rd quarter, the Fever limited the Mystics to just 9 points while scoring 17 points, and then in the final frame, the Fever ran away with the game, leading by as much as 33 points before closing the game 94 – 65.

Natasha Howard led the Fever with 17 points, with another solid game from Aliyah Boston with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Kelsey Mitchell added 10 points. Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers, Indiana’s recent additions via “hardship signing,” made solid contributions, scoring 13 points and 15 points, respectively.

Rookie sensation Sonia Citron led the Washington Mystics with 17 points, with Shakira Austin and fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen scoring 11 points apiece. No other Washington player scored more than 7 points. Citron set a new Washington Mystics scoring record for total points in a season at 644 points, passing Brittney Sykes’ previous mark of 636 in 2023.

With just one more game, the Fever are already assured of a 7th seed in the playoffs, and they have a chance to move up to the 6th seed if the Golden State Warriors lose their game against the Seattle Storm. Both teams are fighting for their playoff spot.

The Indiana Fever will face the Minnesota Lynx for their last game of the season while the Mystics will face the New York Liberty.

Game Highlights

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark is Questionable for her Preseason game against the Mystics

May 3, 2025

Indiana just announced (tweet above) that Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is questionable in their first season game against the Washington Mystics. The team said that this is due to a left leg injury.

It’s unclear if Clark will totally miss the game or will play on a limited capacity but one thing is for sure, a lot of Fever, particularly, CC fans are not happy to hear the news.

Here are few of the comments from CC/Indiana fans.

WNBA Draft will be this April 14th

March 13, 2025

WNBA has announced that their annual draft will be this 14th of April at The Shed in New York City. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN with exclusive coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The first 5 draft picks will be;
1 – Dallas Wings
2 – Seattle Storm
3 and 4 – Washington Mystics
5 – Golden State Valkyries

UConn Guard Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles of Notre Dame are projected to be the top two picks of the draft, that is if they decide to go pro this year and give up their final year of college eligibility.

Dallas Wings secures the No. 1 pick for the 2025 WNBA draft

November 18, 2024

The Dallas Wings today won the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery and will have the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft slated on April 14, 2025. Dallas bested Chicago,
Washington and Los Angeles for the first overall pick in the coming WNBA Draft. All 4 teams are the bottom teams of the last WNBA season.

The Dallas Wings is expected to pick college star Paige Bueckers, who is currently playing her last season at UConn.

Here is the results of the WNBA Draft Lottery 2025

  1. Dallas Wings
  2. Los Angeles Sparks
  3. Chicago Sky
  4. Washington Mystics
  5. Golden State Valkyries
  6. Washington Mystics from Atlanta Dream (15-25) via Dallas Wings (Allisha Gray, 1/21/23) (Stephanie Soares draft rights, 4/10/23)
  7. New York Liberty from Phoenix Mercury (19-21) (Mabrey, DeShields, Onyenwere, 2/11/23)
  8. Indiana Fever (20-20)
  9. Seattle Storm (25-15)
  10. Chicago Sky from Connecticut Sun (28-12) (Marina Mabrey, Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, 7/17/24)
  11. Minnesota Lynx (30-10)
  12. Phoenix Mercury from New York Liberty (32-8) (Mabrey, DeShields, Onyenwere, 2/11/23)