Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi and co. stifled a late Washington comeback attempt.
The Washington Mystics fell to the Phoenix Mercury Tuesday afternoon, 96-87. Today marked Natasha Cloud’s return to DC after signing with the Mercury in free agency, and she was met with a video tribute on the Capital One Arena jumbotron during the first timeout.
Being at this game felt like a fever dream. Tipoff was at 11:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, which was 8:30 a.m. for the fans watching in Phoenix — it must have been a unproductive work day for Mystics and Mercury fans. The game was moved to Capital One Arena to accommodate “camp day,” and the crowd was comprised almost entirely of summer camp children in matching block-colored t-shirts. The music playing from the arena’s speakers made me feel old — there were a number of songs I had never heard that made the kids in the crowd go absolutely feral. The freebie for the day was also a pair of those inflatable sticks that produce a clapping sound when hit together; I would say this was an ill-advised decision to put in the hands of several thousand hyperactive kids.
Five Mystics scored in double figures today, and Julie Vanloo posted a career-high of 17 on 13 shots, only one of which was taken inside the three-point arc. Myisha Hines-Allen chipped in 18 points and 12 rebounds. To this day, I swear I have never seen Jade Melbourne get a call. Every time she drove, the entire Phoenix defense caved in on her and she wound up on the deck, yet she was not awarded a single free throw the entire game.
Brittney Griner led the way for Phoenix with 23 points and 7 rebounds, and fellow Team USA Olympian Diana Taurasi capped an 18-point performance with a statement block on Myisha Hines-Allen. The 42-year-old Taurasi mean-mugged the crowd and then high-fived and laughed with Hines-Allen on the next possession.
Washington trailed by double digits late in the fourth quarter until Julie Vanloo drained a three and then Ariel Atkins stripped Diana Taurasi and took it coast-to-coast for an and-one. A Kahleah Copper jumper as the shot clock expired and then a Sophie Cunningham three ultimately stuck the proverbial dagger in the Mystics’ comeback attempt, and Washington went on to lose by nine points.
The Mystics now get a month-long break for the Olympics. Julie Vanloo (Belgium), Aaliyah Edwards (Canada) and Jade Melbourne (Australia) will all be representing their respective countries in Paris.