The Mystics are off to an 0-7 start, their worst since 2007.
The Washington Mystics fell to the Atlanta Dream Wednesday night, 73-67. The Mystics are in sole possession of the league’s worst record at 0-7, their worst start since 2007.
With the offense stagnating early, Myisha Hines-Allen and Aaliyah Edwards checked in and combined for twelve quick first-quarter points. Edwards also had three rebounds in the period, all of which were offensive.
The rest of the first half was solid for Washington, particularly in the passing department. 31-year-old rookie guard Julie Vanloo tossed some slick no-look dimes, Shakira Austin demonstrated her playmaking chops out of the high post and the Mystics overall moved the ball really well and shared the wealth offensively. Atlanta led 38-34 at the half.
The highlight of the second half was a smooth runner that Ariel Atkins got to fall early in the fourth quarter, allowing the Mystics to retake the lead. They couldn’t hold on, however, and they missed some crucial jumpshots late in the game that would have kept them alive. Atlanta pulled out the 73-67 win behind 19 points from Allisha Gray. Tina Charles also outrebounded the Mystics’ starting frontcourt by herself, 15-10. Atkins led the Mystics with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, while Austin put up a 12/9 on 12 shots.
Throughout the game, the Dream chose to live and die by the turnaround midrange jumper. They lived to see another day. Atlanta was hampered by turnovers characteristic of far less experienced players, but they escaped with the win in spite of those, too.
The Mystics and Dream are two of the three worst defenses in the WNBA, a stat backed by the eye test. The Mystics’ bigs look a little too slow on rotations; the guards, especially Vanloo and Jade Melbourne, are defensive pests but lack the frames to sustain physical drives to the rim. Both teams repeatedly got to feast on wide-open 2-on-1 opportunities conceded by the other’s lackluster defense.
This was my first in-person game of the season, and my main takeaway was just how much the Mystics crowd loves Aaliyah Edwards. The rookie out of UConn has been a spot starter through seven career games and came in off the bench tonight to thunderous applause from the Entertainment and Sports Arena crowd. Every offensive rebound and post move was met with the same raucous enthusiasm.
The Mystics’ next game is Friday night against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.