Liberty-Mystics Preview

By PAUL DIGIACOMO
Posted Aug 05 2011 1:27PM

At the end of June, it looked like the New York Liberty were going to struggle to return to the playoffs. The way they're playing now, finishing atop the Eastern Conference is a legitimate goal - especially after acquiring Kara Braxton.

Braxton is expected to make her debut as New York looks to win for the ninth time in 12 games Saturday night when it visits the conference-worst Washington Mystics.

The Liberty reached the East finals last season and had their sights set on advancing to the WNBA finals this year, but a 4-5 record in June put a damper on those expectations.

New York, though, has turned things around by winning eight of 11 and is in a three-way race with Indiana and Connecticut for the No. 1 seed in the conference.

The Liberty (12-8) made a move Thursday to try to separate themselves from the Fever and Sun, obtaining Braxton from Phoenix in exchange for forward Sidney Spencer.

The 6-foot-6 Braxton, who was on Detroit's championship teams in 2006 and 2008, averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18 games for the Mercury this season. She is among the league leaders in field-goal shooting at 55.9 percent.

"Kara is an All-Star player with championship experience that has been successful in the league for a number of years and will make an immediate impact on the court," Liberty coach and general manager John Whisenant said in a statement.

"We feel this move increases our depth in the post and sets us up for further success as we look to build a championship caliber team."

The Liberty won their second in a row Thursday, holding Chicago to a WNBA-record one point in the fourth quarter in a 59-49 victory at home.

"I don't know if we played that well defensively in any single game this season," said guard Cappie Pondexter, who had a game-high 15 points. "To see that just shows you how we're staying with our game plan, how hard we're working, and how much we're believing in Coach Whis' defense."

New York didn't play well defensively at home against Washington (3-14) on July 28, but it came away with a 75-71 win despite the Mystics shooting a season-best 50.9 percent.

Pondexter led the way for the Liberty with 19 points, while Crystal Langhorne had 18 for the Mystics. That was the third of four straight losses for Washington, which has dropped nine of 10.

The Mystics have had some time to think about their last defeat. They haven't played since July 29, when Indiana's Shannon Bobbitt made a floating layup at the buzzer to win 61-59 in the nation's capital.

Washington has lost its last three by a combined 12 points.

"We're continuing to play hard; we just need to figure out how to close out games," Langhorne told the Mystics' official website. "We're playing close games every time out, so now we need to figure out how to win at the end."

Ajavon scores 32 as Mystics beat Liberty 91-81

Posted Aug 06 2011 10:12PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Matee Ajavon tied a career high with 32 points to help the Washington Mystics cruise to a 91-81 victory over the New York Liberty on Saturday night.

Crystal Langhorne added 20 points for Washington (4-14), which set a season high for points in regulation and hit 28 of 29 free throws while snapping a four-game skid.

``We're focused,'' said Ajavon of her team, which is 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot despite registering just its second victory over an Eastern Conference opponent. ``We've dropped some games, and we just know that it's not over.''

Cappie Pondexter scored 21 points and Plenette Pierson added 20 for New York (12-9), which lost for the fourth time in 12 games. The Liberty were a perfect 18 for 18 on free throws.

The Mystics also scored a season-high 50 points in a first half during which they shot 56 percent (15 of 27) from the floor and 95 percent (18 of 19) from the line, and outrebounded the Liberty 18-7. Washington finished at 29 for 58 (50 percent) from the field.

``We talked as a team about our mentality changing'' Langhorne said of her team's eight-day layoff since their last loss - 61-59 at the buzzer to conference-leading Indiana. ``I think we did have a killer instinct (tonight).''

Washington outscored New York 32-15 in one first-half stretch, eventually pushing the lead to 44-25 when Ajavon hit a 3-pointer from the left wing.

New York closed to it to 50-38 by halftime, but Washington again seized control in the third quarter.

Langhorne found Ajavon for another 3 to stretch the lead to 20, and a couple possessions later put back Ajavon's airball miss to make it 68-46 with 2:57 left in the third. It was the second-largest lead Washington had held all season.

New York, which won two of three games while Washington was idle, edged no closer than nine points during the fourth quarter.

``We've been playing every other night with no practice time, and they haven't, and they were at home,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ``I worried about all this - that's what kept me awake last night. But it didn't do much good.''

Newly acquired center Kara Braxton did not play for New York, two days after a trade that sent forward Sidney Spencer to the Phoenix Mercury. Braxton, a 2007 All-Star who is averaging 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds this season, is expected to debut Tuesday against Seattle.

• Liberty: --
• Mystics: --

• Liberty: --
• Mystics: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #38 Lamont Simpson, #46 Tim Greene, #24 Tony Dawkins
• Attendance: 10741
• Duration: 2:04