How They Got Here: Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics have survived the first two rounds of single-elimination playoff basketball and will face off against the Minnesota Lynx in the 2017 WNBA Playoff Semifinals. Here’s a look at how the Mystics have gotten to this point.
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- After finishing the 2016 season in 10th place, the Washington Mystics made the biggest trade of the WNBA offseason, trading for 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne. Delle Donne boasts playoff experience, as she led the Chicago Sky to the WNBA Playoffs in each of her first four seasons. Accompanied with the signing of Kristi Toliver, the Mystics appear poised for a bounce-back 2017 season.
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- The Mystics opened their 20th anniversary season with a 89-74 home victory over the San Antonio Stars. Elena Delle Donne had a strong showing in her Washington debut, putting up a +18 plus/minus rating to go along with 25 points and five rebounds.
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- In her return to Chicago, Elena Delle Donne puts up 21 points as the Mystics defeat the Sky 82-67. Tianna Hawkins puts up a strong performance off the bench, putting up 12 points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes.
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- Tayler Hill helps to lead the way for Washington with 19 points as they defeat the Chicago Sky 88-79 to finish off a sweep of a home-and-home. The victory is the second win during Washington’s season-best five-game winning streak. Hill’s 19 points kicks off a stretch of strong play, as the Ohio State guard goes her next nine games scoring at least 12 points or higher.
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- Elena Delle Donne blocks a season-high five shots to go along with 13 points and 12 rebounds, as the Mystic win a close game against the Connecticut Sun, 78-76. In an eventful final sequence, Delle Donne lost a jump ball against Jonquel Jones with 1.8 seconds remaining and Alyssa Thomas attempted a mid-range jumper to try to send the game into overtime – but Krystal Thomas had the game-winning block to seal the victory.
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- Kristi Toliver matches her regular season career high for threes in a game with seven to go along with 29 points as the Mystics defeat the Atlanta Dream 100-96. Ivory Latta also puts in a strong performance coming off the bench, putting up 18 points in 28 minutes.
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- Emma Meesseman puts up a career-high 30 points to go along with 10 rebounds as the Mystic defeat the Atlanta Dream 77-70. Kristi Toliver is vital in the victory as well, hitting all of Washington’s five three-pointers to go along with 19 points.
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- After recently losing Elena Delle Donne to a thumb injury, other players stepped up such as Krystal Thomas, who puts up her first career 20-rebound game in a 76-74 loss to the San Antonio Stars. Thomas would finish third in the league in rebounding, averaging 9.6 boards a game including 16 games of 10 or more rebounds.
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- With a 87-82 victory over the Indiana Fever, the Washington Mystics punch their ticket into the 2017 WNBA Playoffs. Emma Meesseman leads the way with 21 points and three steals. Kristi Toliver and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt each put up 18 point performances in the crucial victory.
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- In their highest scoring game of the season, Elena Delle Donne puts up a season-high 37 points including a perfect nine-for-nine from the charity stripe, as the Mystic defeat the Seattle Storm 110-106.
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- In their first appearance under the new WNBA Playoff format, the Mystics put up a strong debut, advancing to the second round with an 86-76 victory over the Dallas Wings. Emma Meesseman, Elena Delle Donne and Krystal Thomas combined to haul in 38 rebounds in the effort, with Meesseman (16 PTS, 10 REB) and Delle Donne (25 PTS, 11 REB) each recording their second career playoff double-doubles.
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- WNBA Playoff history happened under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, as Kristi Toliver hit a playoff record nine three-pointers to go along with 32 points, as the Mystics advanced to the semifinal round for the first time since 2002 with a 82-68 victory over the New York Liberty. The Mystics overcame a 14-point deficit in the first half to cut New York’s lead to six at halftime before storming back to the sound of a 25-10 third quarter.
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