The Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm game will be played on Thursday, August 18th at 10:00 PM ET [Friday, August 19th at 7:30 AM IST]
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The Washington Mystics will head to the Climate Pledge Arena for Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup against the Seattle Storm on Thursday. The Mystics and Storm finished the regular season as the fourth and fifth-placed teams respectively. Both these sides will be locked in heading into Game 1. A win there will help them grab a much-needed advantage in the series.
The Mystics are headed into the playoffs on the back of a two-game winning streak. Their last regular season game was against the Indiana Fever. It was an easy 95-83 win for the team from Washington as they showed up looking extremely confident. Elena Delle Donne once again led the way from the front for the Mystics as she scored 22 points in just 24 minutes of action. Ariel Atkins also had a stunning outing as she scored 15 points for the team. In the end, the Mystics proved to be a little too strong for the struggling Indiana team. They will be hoping to carry the same momentum into the playoffs and continue their pursuit of a championship.
However, their opponents are an experienced Seattle Storm team. Coming into the matchup they will be extremely confident as they are well versed with the playoffs. The team did not have a great run to end the season, but with a player like Sue Bird still on the roster, the Storm can still get the job done. Bird has announced her retirement at the end of the season. It would only make sense that the team make a deep playoff run and try to even push for a championship. The Storm are a well-balanced unit, but to get the better of the Mystics, Seattle will have to be at their best every night.
The Washington Mystics have reported Tianna Hawkins to be questionable for the playoff opener due to a hip injury. Natasha Cloud is listed as probable, but if everything goes well, she could be available for selection on Thursday. Meanwhile, for the Storm, Mercedes Russell will be the only player out as she continues to recover from a head injury.
Washington Mystics
Point Guard – Natasha Cloud, Shooting Guard – Ariel Atkins, Small Forward – Elena Delle Donne, Power Forward – Alysha Clark, Center – Shakira Austin
Seattle Storm
Point Guard – Sue Bird, Shooting Guard – Jewell Loyd, Small Forward – Breanna Stewart, Power Forward – Gabby Williams, Center – Tina Charles
The Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm game will be played at the Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday, August 18th at 10:00 PM ET [Friday, August 19th at 7:30 AM IST]
The Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm game will be televised on ESPN 2
