The energy was undeniable as fans filled Capital One Arena for the sold-out Washington Mystics game against the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday afternoon in DC. With the city ready for the Capitals’ Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, fans brought their A-game for the Mystics on Thursday. The Mystics delivered with a high-energy performance early – shooting six-for-six from the field out of the gate in the first quarter – but ultimately fell to the Lynx, 88-80. A lopsided fourth quarter proved to be Washington’s ultimate downfall, as Minnesota outscored Washington in the final frame, 20-11.
Takeaways from the Mystics’ battle against the Lynx:
On Cloud 9
The Mystics’ MVP for the night was undeniably point guard Natasha Cloud. Cloud put up an impressive 17 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds during her 35 minutes – besting her season average by 12 points and setting season-highs for all three. Cloud was clearly feeling the elevated energy inside Capital One, getting the crowd on their feet with high energy throughout the evening.
Delle Donne Returns
Sidelined by injury since the Mystics’ last match up against the Lynx, Elena Delle Donne returned to the Mystics’ starting lineup on Thursday. Following her four-game absence, Delle Donne logged eight points during her 26 minutes on the court.
Next up: Hitting the Road to Connecticut
The Mystics take the show on the road against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday, June 13. The Sun routed the Mystics 88-64 back on June 1 – setting the stage for a rematch as Washington will look to get back on track and snap a three-game losing streak.