Dream-Mystics Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Jul 19 2011 5:44PM

The first half of the season has been tough for the injury-plagued Washington Mystics, but there's reason to believe things are looking up.

In their final game before the All-Star break Wednesday, the Mystics look to build on a thrilling comeback victory when they host an Atlanta Dream team that appears to be turning its season around.

One year after earning the Eastern Conference's top playoff seed, Washington (3-10) is in last place. The Mystics have been beset by injuries as Alana Beard has yet to play and Monique Currie is out for the season.

Crystal Langhorne - among the league leaders with 17.8 points per game - was also sidelined for three games with a back injury, but she came up with a clutch performance in a 89-85 overtime victory over Los Angeles on Sunday.

Langhorne finished with 24 points and a season-best 14 rebounds as the Mystics overcame a 22-point halftime deficit and completed the largest second-half comeback in WNBA history. She scored 19 points after halftime, while Matee Ajavon scored 12 of her 29 after the third to help Washington snap a five-game skid.

"The whole time, we were confident we could come back,'' Ajavon said.

The Mystics trailed by 24 in the first half and were down by 14 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring 32 to force overtime.

"With this team, I'm not surprised by anything,'' Langhorne said. "It just shows how much heart we have as a team. We're always gonna fight back.''

While the incredible comeback might be just what the Mystics need to spark a playoff run, the Dream (5-9) may be getting their season on track for a postseason push.

The defending conference champions, who swept Washington in the first round last year, defeated Indiana 84-74 on Tuesday. Atlanta has won two in a row after losing six of eight.

"I think we're moving in the right direction,'' said former Mystics guard Lindsey Harding, who had a team-high 19 points. "We're building up and getting better and better but we still haven't reached our full potential.''

The Dream have stepped up defensively in the last two, allowing an average of 71.0 points after giving up 87.4 in the previous five.

Like Washington, Atlanta has also been hit hard by injuries and could be a bit tired for its second game in as many days. The Dream dressed only nine players against the Fever and were without Sancho Lyttle and Coco Miller.

All-Star Angel McCoughtry was on the floor for 19 minutes because of foul trouble but still had 15 points. A knee injury limited her to three minutes in the first meeting with the Mystics, a 98-90 overtime loss June 9.

Erika de Souza, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday, led Atlanta with 20 points and 14 boards versus Washington last month.

Langhorne had 30 points and 13 rebounds for the Mystics in that matchup, while Nicky Anosike added a career-high 29 points and 13 boards.

McCoughtry scores 33, Dream top Mystics 86-79

Posted Jul 20 2011 3:48PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Angel McCoughtry scored a season-high 33 points to lead the Atlanta Dream to an 86-79 victory over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.

``Before the game, I was thinking how I heard Michael Jordan say one time, he always picked his spots before the game - and that's what I did,'' said McCoughtry, who will play in Sunday's WNBA All-Star Game. ``I picked my spots where I would probably hit the most shots.''

Visualizing shot locations before a game isn't a regular strategy for the Atlanta forward, who focused on a few areas just below the free-throw line.

``Maybe I need to do it before every game,'' said McCoughtry, who also set season highs with 10 field goals, 11 free throws made and 17 free-throw attempts.

The Dream won their first road game since June 14, when they beat the New York Liberty before going on a three-game road skid.

Atlanta went on a 6-0 run down the stretch to seal the victory, getting baskets from Sandora Irvin, Armintie Price and Lindsey Harding, before the Mystics began intentionally fouling.

The game's other All-Star, Crystal Langhorne, had 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Mystics, and Marissa Coleman added 21 points, including 5-of-8 shooting on 3-pointers. Nicky Anosike grabbed 14 rebounds, but was held to five points after torching Atlanta for 29 points in a victory June 9.

Matee Ajavon added 12 points, and Jasmine Thomas had 10 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, for Washington.

Langhorne made her first five shots, all inside the arc, before missing a 3-pointer. She made all six of her two-point attempts in the first quarter, scoring 14 points and grabbing four rebounds in the period.

Atlanta's Harding scored 14 points, Price added 12 and Alison Bales finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.

The Dream hosted the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, didn't arrive in the Washington area until 10 p.m. Tuesday and dressed just eight players for Wednesday's game, which started at 11:30 a.m. to accommodate the Mystics' annual youth camp day.

``The biggest thing we had to fight against was our fatigue,'' said Dream coach Marynell Meadors, who will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars on Sunday.

The Mystics beat the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, but haven't won back-to-back games since Aug. 20 and 22. It's the WNBA's second-longest consecutive-win drought behind the Tulsa Shock.

``They have a huge heart,'' Washington coach Trudi Lacey said of her team. ``They play so hard. They're disappointed, but like I told them, the mental mistakes just have to stop in order for us to win these close games.''

• Dream: --
• Mystics: --

• Dream: --
• Mystics: --

• Lead Changes: 16
• Times Tied: 17

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #53 Jeff Smith, #9 Denise Brooks, #24 Tony Dawkins
• Attendance: 13954
• Duration: 1:55