It’s win-or-go-home time for the seventh-seeded Washington Mystics in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs. After the No. 2 seed New York Liberty took Game 1 90-75 on Friday, Washington will be on the brink of elimination Tuesday night.
The Mystics kept it competitive for much of the series opener, as was the nature of most of these matchups over the course of the year. It wasn’t until Sabrina Ionescu (29 points) went on a heater in the fourth quarter to really open up the scoring and put the game out of reach.
Myisha Hines-Allen had an explosive performance for Washington, leading the way with a playoff career-high of 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting. The Mystics also kept the 2018 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart to just 10 points on 3-for-16 shooting. It was one of the lowest offensive-scoring games of her playoff career.
Overall, though, the Mystics struggled from behind the arc (5-for-22, 22.7%) and were outrebounded 43-37.
Washington needs a victory in Game 2 to force a decisive winner-take-all Game 3 in Washington D.C. later in the week.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch the Mystics take on Liberty.
MYSTICS vs. LIBERTY GAME 2 HOW TO WATCH
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
When: Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: Mystics vs. Liberty Game 2 will be broadcast on ESPN.
Live Stream: You can live stream Mystics vs. Liberty Game 2 via WatchESPN or on the ESPN app.
MYSTICS vs. LIBERTY SERIES SCHEDULE
Fri. Sept. 15 – Liberty 90, Mystics 75 (New York leads 1-0)
Tue. Sept. 19 – Mystics at Liberty, 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Fri. Sept. 22 – Liberty at Mystics, TBD (ESPN2)*
* – If necessary
MYSTICS vs. LIBERTY PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mystics: Elena Delle Donne (16.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.1 APG): Not only did Washington keep Stewart in check, but the Liberty did a great job of limiting Elena Delle Donne’s impact on the game as well. She was fourth on the team in shot attempts (12) and only recorded 11 points in the game. It was not without the 2019 WNBA MVP getting involved in the offense, facing numerous double teams and the taller Stewart, Delle Donne racked up six assists.
Liberty: Jonquel Jones (11.3 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.3 BPG): So much defensive attention is rightfully given to Stewart, which leaves others an easier path to score. With the Mystics lacking the appropriate size to properly matchup against the 2021 MVP, Jones is a natural option to get those extra shots and takeover games in a similar manner. She finished Game 1 with a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double after all.