Swish Appeal: All Posts by Albert LeeBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2022-02-13T11:02:00-05:00https://www.swishappeal.com/authors/albert-lee/rss2022-02-13T11:02:00-05:002022-02-13T11:02:00-05:00Recap: Team USA dominant in 93-55 win over Puerto Rico in Women’s WCQ
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<img alt="USA Women’s National Team v Puerto Rico" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_997V7Z12svi9TzkVhRE0w47jpY=/99x0:4026x2618/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70504312/1238423360.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ariel Atkins and the USA Basketball women’s national team held Puerto Rico to just 37 percent shooting and forced them to commit 19 turnovers on Saturday. | Photo by KeShawn Ennis/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Ariel Atkins led Team USA with 14 points, and six Americans scored in double digits. For Puerto Rico, Isalys Quinones led with 12 points.</p> <p id="xuyDCl">WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USA Basketball women’s national team was dominant from start to finish against Puerto Rico in their second and final game of the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, winning 93-55 on Saturday afternoon at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p id="0o5Gxi">After <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/2022/2/12/22929564/united-states-us-usa-belgium-fiba-womens-world-cup-qualifiers-kelsey-plum-brionna-jones-meesseman">a sluggish start against Belgium Friday</a>, the Americans started off playing a smothering defense in the first half and had a commanding 33-8 lead after the first quarter. Jewell Loyd led Team USA with all 10 of her points. </p>
<p id="Y7xWjv">But when teams lead big initially, they often take their foot off the gas. Team USA was no different, and they were actually outscored 19-16 in the second quarter as the Puerto Ricans began to clamp up their defense. Team USA continued to be rather sluggish in the third quarter as the Puerto Ricans were able to get the deficit down to just 21.</p>
<p id="3rCK51">After some adjustments in the middle of the third, Team USA got back to playing committed defense, quickly expanding their lead to as many as 42 points as the home squad cruised to victory.</p>
<p id="rciRFm">Six players scored in double figures for the Americans, with Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins scoring 14 in 17 minutes of playing action. In addition to being a consistent defensive presence, she was also the beneficiary of this pass from Alyssa Thomas on the fast break.</p>
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<p lang="lv" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/athomas_25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@athomas_25</a> ➡️ Atkins <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWWC</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usabasketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/jXTpZNndXe">pic.twitter.com/jXTpZNndXe</a></p>— FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWWC/status/1492634038569508869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a>
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<p id="QjOz2w">Connecticut Sun center Brionna Jones had a second strong performance for Team USA as well, adding 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Only two Americans (Loyd and New York Liberty center Natasha Howard) played more than 20 minutes, possibly in part because of the lopsided result.</p>
<p id="hkQm9M">For Puerto Rico, Isalys Quinones led the team with 12 points and Jazmon Gwathmey had 11 more.</p>
<p id="UtB4w0">Team USA is now finished with its slate of games in the World Cup Qualifiers. Although they already qualified for the World Cup in last year’s Olympics, these games still provided valuable experience for some of the returning Olympians who didn’t play much in Tokyo like Atkins, and some post players like Jones have put themselves in a better position for a call up this summer.</p>
<p id="Ilgsic">The Puerto Ricans will travel to the Dominican Republic to play Russia in their final game on Monday. They will have to win that game to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Tip off for that game is at 2 p.m. ET and it can be streamed on FIBA’s YouTube channel.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2022/2/13/22930919/united-states-vs-puerto-rico-fiba-womens-world-cup-qualifiers-recap-ariel-atkins-brionna-jonesAlbert Lee2022-02-12T09:00:00-05:002022-02-12T09:00:00-05:00Recap: Plum, Jones lead Team USA to 84-75 win over Belgium in World Cup qualifiers
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<figcaption>Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum scored 16 points off the bench for Team USA in their win against Belgium. | <a class="ql-link" href="https://twitter.com/TheEventsDC/status/1492308197062979585" target="_blank">Events DC</a></figcaption>
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<p>Both the Las Vegas Aces guard and Connecticut Sun center came off the bench for the Americans. UMMC Ekaterinburg (and soon-to-be Chicago Sky) forward Emma Meesseman had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Belgian Cats.</p> <p id="0pmpHp">WASHINGTON — The USA Basketball women’s national team didn’t look like a flawless unit on Friday night vs. the Belgium women’s national basketball team at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. But they forced the Belgian Cats to commit 17 turnovers, never trailed, and led by as many as 23 points en route to an 84-75 victory in their first game of the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers.</p>
<p id="HwK65m">The Americans started Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd, Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby, Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins. This starting unit didn’t play particularly well together when they were on the court, though Gray did score 10 points and dish 8 assists. At any rate, Team USA and the Cats were tied 15-all after the first quarter.</p>
<p id="jtoWcK">As the game went on, it was clear that Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum and Connecticut Sun center Brionna Jones would make the biggest scoring impact for Team USA, where they scored a combined 30 points. Jones only played 18 minutes, but finished baskets consistently for the USA when their offense was still not in full gear early on. </p>
<p id="uax6UL">Plum shot 5-on-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line to give Team USA a commanding 23-point lead in the second half. Whenever the Americans were on a run, she seemed to be there every time, whether it was to take a shot, or make the timely pass on the break like this one to Dallas Wings guard Allisha Gray.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Getting it done like <a href="https://twitter.com/usab3x3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usab3x3</a> in Tokyo <a href="https://twitter.com/Kelseyplum10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kelseyplum10</a> » <a href="https://twitter.com/Graytness_15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Graytness_15</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USABWNT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USABWNT</a> <a href="https://t.co/gfnceuutwi">pic.twitter.com/gfnceuutwi</a></p>— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1492312891566948354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a>
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<p id="IoqVWU">Plum deserves my anecdotal “Player of the Night” award, especially for Team USA.</p>
<p id="9a9rB9">So how did the Belgian Cats do? They were clearly not in the same form as they were in their <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/2022/2/11/22928715/2022-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-qualifiers-recap-emma-meesseman-belgium-vs-puerto-rico">98-65 win over Puerto Rico on Thursday</a>. The Americans are bigger and more athletic than the Puerto Ricans. They also consistently played the Belgians’ passing lanes, which helped produce their offense, especially when they weren’t shooting well in the first quarter and half. The Cats often play a very pass-happy game, willing to pass the ball to the open woman for a shot. However, if their passes were a bit slow or sloppy, Team USA was able to capitalize.</p>
<p id="bT2uMM">UMMC Ekaterinburg (and, reportedly, <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/mystics/2022/1/31/22910979/wnba-free-agency-2022-emma-meesseman-chicago-sky-signing">soon-to-be Chicago Sky</a>) forward Emma Meesseman played for the second straight day in front of a friendly audience in D.C., where she played for the Mystics from 2013-20. She had a double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but many of those points came in the fourth quarter when there was little doubt in the game’s outcome. Meesseman still shot 7-of-11 from the field, typical for her in most international contests. That said, Team USA constantly double-teamed or even triple-teamed her, preventing her from taking more shots.</p>
<p id="og7nv0">With Meesseman unable to score much on Team USA until the end, the Cats were unable to get much going until the fourth quarter when she became noticeably more aggressive. At this time, point guard Hind Ben Abdelkader scored a team-leading 17 points and forward Maxuella Lisowa Mbaka (nine points, two steals) was able to get going in Belgium’s comeback, even after Meesseman went to the bench for the final time. Both were recent call-ups to the team and have made their presence known in the qualifiers.</p>
<p id="WjTgR3">Though the Belgian Cats lost on Friday night, this game just felt more special for them. Meesseman played in D.C. for many years and won a championship on the same court at ESA. And either their fans travel very well or there may be more Belgian Americans in the D.C. area than I thought. When I arrived to watch the game, the section I sat in was surrounded by many fans wearing Belgian colors (black, yellow, red). Most people around me were speaking in Dutch and French, the country’s two dominant official languages. German is Belgium’s third <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belgium">official language</a>.</p>
<p id="XpZjCy">The Belgians were also consistently chanting defense when the Cats didn’t have the ball. And they even quieted down a “USA!” chant in the last minute by saying, “Belgium! Belgium!” The Cats may have lost on the scoreboard, but the fans were not going out quietly!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The highlight of the night, at least in the stands was at the end of the game when Team USA fans were saying “USA! USA!” <br><br>The Belgians responded with “Belgium! Belgium!”</p>— Albert Lee (@aleeinthedmv) <a href="https://twitter.com/aleeinthedmv/status/1492306783565762562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a>
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<p id="Am3xTO">Jean-Arthur Régibeau, Belgium’s Ambassador to the U.S., and Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union’s Ambassador to the U.S., were also both in attendance last night and met the team after the game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">So happy to meet <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBelgianCats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheBelgianCats</a> after this excellent performance. Wishing them best of luck for their next game on Sunday.<br>We enjoyed watching top competitors, together with hundreds of enthusiastic supporters. <a href="https://t.co/AWawJrnrBx">pic.twitter.com/AWawJrnrBx</a></p>— Ambassador Jean-Arthur Régibeau (@BEAmbUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BEAmbUSA/status/1492314924839809024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of the perks of being EU Ambassador is that I have not just one, but … 27 teams to cheer for! <br>A pleasure to meet <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBelgianCats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheBelgianCats</a> tonight after a great game with the U.S., together with my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/BEAmbUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BEAmbUSA</a>. <br>Good luck for the game with Russia on Sunday! Go Cats!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWWC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/nNWdA5mAHs">pic.twitter.com/nNWdA5mAHs</a></p>— Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis (@EUAmbUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/EUAmbUS/status/1492326882020409345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a>
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<p id="Q6sWbN">While Friday’s game may be “just another win” or “just a game to retool the lineup” for Team USA, it was clear to me that this contest and the close outcome meant more to Belgium and its fans on Friday.</p>
<p id="05YXkV">As notable as this contest was, the game between the USA and Belgium tonight was a friendly. The USA qualified for the World Cup after winning the Gold medal in the 2020 Olympics last year, so they didn’t have much to play for besides roster retooling.</p>
<p id="Wu3VOm">Team USA will play Puerto Rico Saturday in their last game of the qualifiers at ESA. Tip-off is at 4:30 p.m. ET. Belgium will travel to the Dominican Republic this weekend to play Russia on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. A win would punch the Cats’ ticket to a second consecutive World Cup. </p>
<p id="Bzc3f6">All games can be streamed on LiveBasketball.TV. In addition, tomorrow’s USA vs. Puerto Rico game will also be streamed on FIBA’s YouTube channel.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2022/2/12/22929564/united-states-us-usa-belgium-fiba-womens-world-cup-qualifiers-kelsey-plum-brionna-jones-meessemanAlbert Lee2019-09-14T14:00:00-04:002019-09-14T14:00:00-04:00Can the Mystics’ possible playoff opponents upset them?
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<img alt="WNBA: JUN 11 Washington Mystics at Connecticut Sun" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q1rB2MXjedMrXqx63U3YhNMRvEE=/0x0:3900x2600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65246076/1149671304.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>If you are wondering which team probably has the best chance of thwarting the Washington Mystics’ WNBA championship hopes, Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun are among your best bets. | Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Mystics are 2019’s WNBA championship favorites. However, the Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks, Las Vegas Aces, Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm defeated Washington at least once this season. Could they do so in a five-game series?</p> <p id="bLa8Tg">The Washington Mystics will not make their WNBA postseason debut until Tuesday, Sept. 17, when they host the lowest remaining seed after Sunday’s second-round games. By all accounts, they will be heavy favorites against any team they face due to their <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2019/9/3/20837135/wnba-playoffs-mystics-offense-elena-delle-donne">historically great offensive efficiency</a>.</p>
<p id="cub6RX">As great as this season has been for Mystics fans from a statistical standpoint, the team are also opportunistic leaders. Washington benefited from a battle of attrition as superstars from other teams have sat out most of, if not all of, this year’s regular season.</p>
<p id="cT1Lxx">Though the Mystics are firing on all cylinders, they have also lost to each of the five remaining teams in the playoffs. Let’s evaluate each of the remaining teams and determine how much of a chance they have of pulling it off.</p>
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<h2 id="JykfaL"><strong>No. 2 Connecticut Sun </strong></h2>
<p id="9UuagU"><strong>Head-to-head record vs. Mystics</strong>: 2-1</p>
<p id="X7Y6lm"><strong>When would the Sun face the Mystics? </strong>The Finals; the Sun are the other team awaiting a semifinals opponent.</p>
<p id="hyMlQT"><strong>Why can the Sun win? </strong>Of the remaining playoff teams, the Sun are the only one with a winning regular-season record against Washington. And like the Mystics, the Sun have a deep frontcourt duo of Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas. In Connecticut’s wins on <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190525/WASCON/">May 25</a> and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190611/WASCON/">June 11</a>, either Jones or Thomas scored 20 or more points and the team held Washington to 40.8 percent shooting or less.</p>
<p id="2agJDq">Connecticut’s starting backcourt of Jasmine Thomas and Courtney Williams will also pose problems for Washington. Both score over 24 combined points a game and are good three-point shooters, which will keep Washington on its toes. If the Mystics and Sun make the WNBA Finals, the Sun will have an advantage in the backcourt if Kristi Toliver is limited.</p>
<p id="eTdkyf">The Sun haven’t played the Mystics since their <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190629/CONWAS/">102-59 road loss</a> on June 29, so there is also an “unknown” factor at play. How will these two teams fare if they play each other again three months later?</p>
<p id="WwnFB3"><strong>Why can’t the Sun win? </strong>The Mystics won 16 of their last 18 regular season games and finished on a six-game winning streak. The Sun were in striking distance of the Mystics for first place in the regular season until they lost their last two games. Washington has also gone on a deep playoff run from the single-game elimination rounds for each of the last two years. The Sun team haven’t advanced to the semifinals (then the Eastern Conference Finals) since 2012.</p>
<p id="MoBtHN"><strong>Do the Sun have a real shot to upset the Mystics? </strong>Despite the late slump, absolutely. Of the teams remaining in the playoff hunt, the Sun have the deepest roster and their starting lineup played every game together as one unit.</p>
<h2 id="zlgglQ"><strong>No. 3 Los Angeles Sparks</strong></h2>
<p id="5DmeIO"><strong>Head-to-head record vs. Mystics</strong>: 1-2</p>
<p id="A6WIjj"><strong>When would the Sparks face the Mystics? </strong>The Finals; the only playoff team LA could meet in the semifinals is the Sun.</p>
<p id="20fPWc"><strong>Why can the Sparks win? </strong>Los Angeles has the WNBA’s <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/opponent/?sort=OPP_PTS&dir=-1&Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Per100Possessions">third-best defense</a> at 95.8 points per 100 possessions and <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/traditional/?sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Per100Possessions">fourth-best offense</a> at 99.3 points per 100 possessions. They also <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190707/WASLAS/">blew out the Mystics at home</a> on July 7. In that game, Nneka Ogwumike scored 31 points and Riquna Williams scored 19. The Sparks have a strong balance between frontcourt and backcourt scorers, which could make things more difficult for the Mystics on defense.</p>
<p id="uSDe8U"><strong>Why can’t the Sparks win? </strong>The Sparks defeated the Mystics in a game where Delle Donne played just one minute due to a broken nose and where Emma Meesseman was not with the team. The Mystics beat the Sparks in their remaining their head-to-head games by 29-point margins. The Sparks lost <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190618/WASLAS/">81-52 at home on June 18</a> and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190827/LASWAS/">95-66 on the road</a> on Aug. 27.</p>
<p id="TXkjcb"><strong>Do the Sparks have a real shot to upset the Mystics? </strong>Yes, but not as much as Connecticut. If Candace Parker can regain her prime form for the postseason though, then watch out!</p>
<h2 id="TJtTdk"><strong>No. 4 Las Vegas Aces</strong></h2>
<p id="lLKuKA"><strong>Head-to-head record vs. Mystics</strong>: 1-2</p>
<p id="Giag5i"><strong>When would the Aces face the Mystics? </strong>If the Storm defeat the Sparks in the second round, then in the Finals. Otherwise, they’d face the Mystics in the semifinals.</p>
<p id="crdoqE"><strong>Why can the Aces win? </strong>The Mystics have the WNBA’s best offense, but the Aces have the league’s best defense at <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/opponent/?sort=OPP_PTS&dir=-1&Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Per100Possessions">95 points per 100 possessions</a>. Though neither were named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team, A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage are a tough frontcourt duo to score against, averaging over 32 combined points per game. </p>
<p id="Par5g2">Finally, Las Vegas had an 85-81 road win against Washington on July 14, holding Washington to 38.9 percent shooting and 7-of-28 from the three-point line. If the Aces can contain the Mystics’ shooting from distance, it could be enough to earn an upset.</p>
<p id="bXhaao"><strong>Why can’t the Aces win? </strong>The Mystics’ offense could be shut down in any one game, but it’s difficult to see them shut down for a long stretch of time. Washington <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190620/WASLVA/#/game-story">won 95-72</a> on June 20 without Emma Meesseman and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190805/WASLVA/">99-70 on Aug. 5</a> in the conclusion of the earthquake-delayed game. The Mystics’ scoring options are diverse and they truly aren’t dependent on any one player.</p>
<p id="IUj1Ql"><strong>Do the Aces have a real shot to upset the Mystics? </strong>If their defense contains Washington throughout most of the series, then it’s possible that the Aces could make things interesting. </p>
<h2 id="IJjXF2"><strong>No. 5 Chicago Sky</strong></h2>
<p id="QV6Ndo"><strong>Head-to-head Record vs. Mystics</strong>: 1-3</p>
<p id="pzKjAn"><strong>When would the Sky face the Mystics? </strong>Like above, if the Storm defeat the Sparks in the second round, then in the Finals. Otherwise, they’d face the Mystics in the semifinals.</p>
<p id="MiKQFY"><strong>Why can the Sky win? </strong>The Sky have the most recent win against the Mystics. On Aug. 23, they <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190823/WASCHI/">won 85-78</a> at home despite an off-night from Allie Quigley. They also held the Mystics to 35.6 percent shooting.</p>
<p id="c2OmP0">Like the Sun, the Sky have an advantage in the backcourt against the Mystics with Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot. Along with leading scorer Diamond DeShields, Chicago has the WNBA’s second-best offense at <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/traditional/?sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Per100Possessions">101.6 points per 100 possessions</a>. If they get really hot while keeping Washington contained, they could win a game or two in a five-game series.</p>
<p id="SUrNIy"><strong>Why can’t the Sky win? </strong>Washington won the remaining three games in their head-to-head series, including a <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190908/CHIWAS/">100-86 thumping</a> in the regular-season finale on Sept. 8.</p>
<p id="X6dWNH"><strong>Do the Sky have a real shot to upset the Mystics? </strong>The Sky got the ghost of Delle Donne off their backs after beating the Mystics at home last month, but it’s difficult to see them winning three games in a five-game series.</p>
<h2 id="Ah0XZk"><strong>No. 6 Seattle Storm</strong></h2>
<p id="hT2iHT"><strong>Head-to-head record vs. Mystics</strong>: 1-2</p>
<p id="3I03ks"><strong>When would the Storm face the Mystics? </strong>The semifinals; the Storm are the lowest remaining playoff seed.</p>
<p id="5O0FgJ"><strong>Why can the Storm win? </strong>The Mystics were 14-3 at home this season and lost a <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190614/SEAWAS/">close 74-71 game</a> to the defending WNBA champions on June 14. Natasha Howard scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that win. Howard <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/player/203827/boxscores-traditional/?Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&OpponentTeamID=1611661322">averaged 23 points per game</a> against Washington this season.</p>
<p id="TDzl0J"><strong>Why can’t the Storm win? </strong>The Mystics blew out the Storm <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190802/WASSEA/">99-79 on Aug. 2</a> and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190814/SEAWAS/">88-59 on Aug. 14</a> as they were getting into prime form. As good as Howard is, Washington’s primary frontcourt trio of Delle Donne, Meesseman and LaToya Sanders will probably be too much to overcome.</p>
<p id="ZuDlhU"><strong>Do the Storm have a real shot to upset the Mystics? </strong>Not really. The Storm may be the defending WNBA champions, but they won the title last year with 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird playing major roles. Both Stewart and Bird are sitting out this season. Howard, Jewell Loyd and the rest of the Storm are punching above their weight. Even if they beat the Sparks on Sunday, the Storm’s playoff run will likely end in the semifinals.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/9/14/20863799/wnba-playoffs-analysis-washington-mystics-upset-chances-sun-sparks-aces-sky-stormAlbert Lee2019-08-31T11:00:00-04:002019-08-31T11:00:00-04:00Recap: Sun weather Liberty’s 3rd quarter surge in 94-84 win
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<img alt="Connecticut Sun v New York Liberty" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/we_QwxzA_m5pl-l0ACSghYXyLb4=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65149127/1164953366.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Courtney Williams put on a show for the Connecticut Sun on Friday night in their 94-84 win over the New York Liberty. | Photo by Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Courtney Williams scored 26 points and Alyssa Thomas added 20 for the Connecticut Sun in their big win over the New York Liberty. Marine Johannes led New York with 21 points in the loss.</p> <p id="0FIQoC">The Connecticut Sun (22-9) took an early lead, withstood a comeback from the New York Liberty (9-22) in the third quarter and made their own comeback to win 94-84 on Friday night.</p>
<p id="n3PpaW">Courtney Williams led Connecticut with 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting while adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the win. Alyssa Thomas added 20 points and 9 rebounds. Overall, both Williams and Thomas had little difficulty having their way with plays like these:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CW10 with the jumper. <a href="https://t.co/eq5N4z2E4R">pic.twitter.com/eq5N4z2E4R</a></p>— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConnecticutSun/status/1167604812034105345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Thomas Connection. <a href="https://t.co/WSs6Ni9mAz">pic.twitter.com/WSs6Ni9mAz</a></p>— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConnecticutSun/status/1167609483742216193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="fcI8u6">The final score doesn’t tell the whole story, however. New York made a big run of their own to start the third quarter despite not having Tina Charles (rest) or Asia Durr (groin injury) available to play. In fact, they went on an 18-3 run in the first seven minutes of the period and took a 59-53 lead after shooting 7-of-11 from the field.</p>
<p id="oYfgA0">However, the Sun just had more depth to overcome the Liberty’s runs and then some. They quickly went on a 14-2 run to finish the third quarter with a 67-61 lead. This tweet was published right before Connecticut’s last two points to finish things off:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Sun are on a 12-2 run. <a href="https://twitter.com/_bjones18?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_bjones18</a> accountable for 4 of the points. <a href="https://t.co/iOfoSi2FXi">pic.twitter.com/iOfoSi2FXi</a></p>— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConnecticutSun/status/1167604396097560576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="A0drLG">Though New York was fighting an uphill battle for much of the night, Marine Johannes had 21 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds off the bench to keep them in a position to win for most of the game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/MarineJ5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarineJ5</a> brought that tonight! <br><br>-<br>21 pts, 6 ast, 5 reb <a href="https://t.co/TqUryResFr">pic.twitter.com/TqUryResFr</a></p>— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty/status/1167613283316174848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="CHN8zy">The Sun have already clinched a playoff berth, but are still looking to earn the top seed in the WNBA Playoffs. They are currently half a game behind the Washington Mystics (22-8) for the top seed but also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. </p>
<p id="ltvEmv">New York was already out of playoff contention before the game. Though it’s easy to give up this late in the season, their third quarter run shows that they won’t hesitate to play spoiler in their remaining games this season.</p>
<h2 id="ROIwIJ"><strong>Up Next</strong></h2>
<p id="gwoux3">The Liberty’s next game is on Tuesday, Sept. 3 when they host the Mystics. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET. The Sun will head back into action on Wednesday, Sept. 4 when they host the Dallas Wings. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.</p>
<p id="HAvelJ"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/31/20841575/wnba-recap-connecticut-sun-new-york-liberty-courtney-williams-alyssa-thomas-marine-johannesAlbert Lee2019-08-10T11:00:00-04:002019-08-10T11:00:00-04:00Recap: Lynx end Sun’s win streak in dominating 89-57 victory
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<img alt="Connecticut Sun v Minnesota Lynx" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZvnuLSnclMSKTxZiCcJEHnW6HKA=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64988743/1160489651.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sylvia Fowles had a double-double in the Minnesota Lynx’s win over the Connecticut Sun. | Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Minnesota Lynx blew out the Connecticut Sun on Friday night behind Sylvia Fowles’ double-double and the team’s 27 assists.</p> <p id="iVEp5H">The Minnesota Lynx beat the Connecticut Sun 89-57 on Friday, ending the league leaders’ seven-game win streak. Minnesota never trailed and led by as many as 38 points late in the third quarter.</p>
<p id="78HGne">Sylvia Fowles led the Lynx with 17 points and 12 rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting. Fowles was also stellar on defense, adding 3 blocks and 2 steals.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/SylviaFowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SylviaFowles</a> was locked in! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/0JyhGA1efM">pic.twitter.com/0JyhGA1efM</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1160014750291562496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="ovkIDU">Odyssey Sims had a near double-double of her own, adding 12 points and 9 assists. She added 3 steals, turning this one into an and-one layup in transition:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/Lucky_Lefty0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lucky_Lefty0</a> hustles for the steal and gets the and-1 finish <br><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSSportsNet</a> <a href="https://t.co/jjXokLB19i">pic.twitter.com/jjXokLB19i</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1159989152886206464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="m0fytn">Though Fowles and Sims were among the Lynx’s biggest contributors, this game was actually a very even effort from start to finish. Minnesota dished 27 assists and showed great ball movement throughout the night. Six players — Fowles, Sims, Napheesa Collier, Damiris Dantas, Danielle Robinson and Stephanie Talbot — scored in double figures.</p>
<p id="lky2Fc">Seimone Augustus scored four points on 2-of-4 shooting, which was enough to move into fifth on the WNBA’s all-time career field goals list.</p>
<p id="pHh5K0">As for the Sun, this was a game to forget. They had trouble getting into a rhythm and they were held to 30.9 percent shooting. Bria Holmes led Connecticut’s scorers with 10 points.</p>
<p id="3VqZMm">This game didn’t change the official standings for the Lynx, but it still gave them a boost. Minnesota (12-11) is still in seventh place and just half-game ahead of the Phoenix Mercury. However, it is also just half-game behind the Seattle Storm for sixth place and a potential first-round home playoff game.</p>
<p id="ygaovH">The Sun (16-7) now have an identical record to the Washington Mystics, but hold the first-place tiebreaker after going 2-1 in their head-to-head matches this season.</p>
<h2 id="deEWJe"><strong>Next up</strong></h2>
<p id="o42E9F">The Lynx begin a two-game road trip starting on Sunday, Aug. 11, when they travel to the nation’s capital and play the Washington Mystics. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. ET.</p>
<p id="ve9ZHA">The Sun continue their road trip and play the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Aug. 11. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. ET.</p>
<h2 id="wFEu1R"><strong>What else happened on Friday?</strong></h2>
<p id="DW3XQU">The Chicago Sky defeated the Las Vegas Aces 87-84 on the road. Courtney Vandersloot scored 16 points and dished 13 assists for Chicago. Vandersloot also moved up to sixth place on the WNBA’s career assists list. Liz Cambage scored 28 points for Las Vegas.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/Sloot22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sloot22</a> passes <a href="https://twitter.com/cappa23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cappa23</a> for 6⃣th on the All-Time Assists List <a href="https://t.co/FsNlQFF8aO">pic.twitter.com/FsNlQFF8aO</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1160027491819499520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2019</a>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/10/20799058/wnba-recap-minnesota-lynx-connecticut-sun-sylvia-fowles-odyssey-simsAlbert Lee2019-08-09T19:00:00-04:002019-08-09T19:00:00-04:00GameThread: Lynx host Sun with playoff position in mind
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<img alt="WNBA: JULY 06 Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hBlZge3S8OhnzQ_tv2IXM1ujUFk=/0x0:3900x2600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64986607/1154258864.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sylvia Fowles and Jonquel Jones are two All-Star posts who will make an intriguing frontcourt battle between the Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun when their teams face off on Friday night. | Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Against the Connecticut Sun on Friday, the Minnesota Lynx will look to improve their position in a packed middle of the WNBA standings. Later, the Las Vegas Aces host the Chicago Sky with playoff positioning on the line.</p> <p id="cVna3j">The Minnesota Lynx host the WNBA-leading Connecticut Sun in the first game of tonight’s WNBA doubleheader. Both games are on CBS Sports Network.</p>
<p id="a8AFfM">Minnesota is currently seventh in the WNBA standings, but just one game behind the Seattle Storm and two games behind the Chicago Sky. A win tonight can help the Lynx secure a top six finish. If they end the regular season in sixth place, Minnesota will begin the first round of the playoffs at home.</p>
<p id="PV4hfy">The Sun weren’t projected to be the WNBA’s regular-season leader — but here they are. Connecticut is on a league-high seven-game winning streak due in large part to Jonquel Jones, who has recorded double-doubles in scoring and rebounding for <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/jonquel-jones/">each of her past four games</a>, and Courtney Williams, who scored a <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/courtney-williams/">season-high 28 points</a> against the New York Liberty on Aug. 4. </p>
<p id="HprCFj">This is the third and final match between the Lynx and Sun, with the season series tied 1-1: The Sun beat the Lynx in Minnesota on June 14 (<a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190614/CONMIN/">85-81</a>) and the Lynx defeated the Sun in Connecticut on July 6 (<a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190706/MINCON/">74-71)</a>.</p>
<p id="kJrlR7">In Friday’s second game, the Las Vegas Aces host the Chicago Sky in a match between teams jockeying for playoff position. The Aces are in third place and vying for a No. 2 finish that would allow them to start the playoffs in the semifinals. The Sky are in fifth place, just one game behind the Los Angeles Sparks, with No. 4 spot providing a first-round bye.</p>
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<h1 id="MmdpR4"><strong>Game information</strong></h1>
<h4 id="Kj5Srx"><strong>Minnesota Lynx (11-11) vs. Connecticut Sun (16-6)</strong></h4>
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<p id="zpTGDz"><strong>When: </strong>Friday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="FiNJXS"><strong>Where:</strong> Target Center, Minneapolis, MN</p>
<p id="p11nne"><strong>How to watch: </strong>CBS Sports Network, FOX Sports Go, NESN Plus</p>
<p id="sc4N0P"><strong>Keys to the matchup: </strong>Though the Lynx match up well against the Sun, they are still underdogs. It will be key for Fowles, the 2017 WNBA MVP, to have a strong performance against Jones tonight. If Minnesota can win the battle in the low post, they will have a chance to win tonight. On Aug. 6, Collier had her <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/napheesa-collier/">first 20-point game</a> since the 22-point performance of her rookie debut. If Collier can get into a rhythm, it will be difficult for Connecticut to win this game.</p>
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<h4 id="CGKP76"><strong>Las Vegas Aces (15-8) vs. Chicago Sky (13-9)</strong></h4>
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<p id="F0rrQ0"><strong>When: </strong>Friday, Aug. 9, at 10:30 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="47mW3l"><strong>Where:</strong> Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV</p>
<p id="06NlBO"><strong>How to watch: </strong>CBS Sports Network, MyLVTV</p>
<p id="FYjY1M"><strong>Keys to the matchup:</strong> For the Sky to win tonight, they will need a big performance from their starting frontcourt of Stefanie Dolson and Jantel Lavender. But Dolson and Lavender don’t have to score many points to make an impact. They both average nearly 20 combined points per game. Still, they will have to slow down Las Vegas’ All-Star frontcourt of Liz Cambage and Dearica Hamby, who has been starting in place of the injured A’ja Wilson.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/9/20792553/wnba-preview-minnesota-lynx-connecticut-sun-jonquel-jones-sylvia-fowlesAlbert Lee2019-08-08T17:00:00-04:002019-08-08T17:00:00-04:00GameThread: Sparks host red-hot Brittney Griner and the Mercury in Thursday night triple-header
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<img alt="Los Angeles Sparks v Phoenix Mercury" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4sRZlFpRUc3FkJatEm5dJjpRgS8=/0x679:2400x2279/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64974526/1152087536.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brittney Griner scored 30 points on the Washington Mystics in her last outing. But the Mercury center will have her hands full when Phoenix plays the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night. | Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury meet tonight in a late evening match on ESPN2. In other WNBA action, the Washington Mystics host the Indiana Fever and the Seattle Storm host the Dallas Wings.</p> <p id="uocxew">The Los Angeles Sparks (13-8) are on a three-game winning streak and look to extend it against the Phoenix Mercury (11-10) on Thursday.</p>
<p id="MdKXuz">The Sparks are entering the second game of a three-game homestand which includes an <a href="https://www.wnba.com/game/20190804/SEALAS/">83-75 win</a> over the Seattle Storm on Sunday, Aug. 4. Nneka Ogwumike has <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/nneka-ogwumike/#/gamelogs">double-doubles in points and rebounds</a> in three of her last four outings, while Candace Parker has scored <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/candace-parker/#/gamelogs">16 or more points in her two games</a> since returning from an <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/27156971/sparks-parker-return-hurting-ankle">ankle injury that sidelined her</a> for most of July. Chiney Ogwumike missed the Sparks’ last two games <a href="https://www.wnba.com/player/chiney-ogwumike/#/news">due to a tooth extraction</a>, but she is probable to return against Phoenix.</p>
<p id="rNZ2Rd">Phoenix is holding the fort this season without Diana Taurasi. Brittney Griner is averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and a career-high 2.4 assists per game. She is coming off a 30-point performance in a <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/5/20754242/wnba-phoenix-mercury-washington-mystics-recap-brittney-griner">103-82 win over the Washington Mystics</a> on Sunday. Before that victory, the Mercury lost two consecutive games — to the Mystics on July 30 and the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 1. Since the Mystics and Sun are the top two teams in the standings, this isn’t a bad position for Phoenix to be in. </p>
<h2 id="Q9r59u"><strong>In tonight’s other WNBA action</strong></h2>
<p id="4OmtNT">The Washington Mystics (15-7) kick off tonight’s triple-header against the Indiana Fever (8-15) at 7 p.m. ET. Having won six of its last seven games, Washington will be heavy favorites against Indiana, who come into tonight’s game on a two-game winning streak.</p>
<p id="ttmhZ2">The Seattle Storm (12-11) will host the Dallas Wings (6-16) at 10 p.m. ET. Seattle comes into the game on a three-game losing streak while Dallas lost seven of its last eight games. Expect the Wings to put up a valiant effort against a slumping Storm team, but Seattle should come out on top tonight.</p>
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<h1 id="MmdpR4"><strong>Game information</strong></h1>
<h4 id="Kj5Srx"><strong>Washington Mystics (15-7) vs. Indiana Fever (8-15)</strong></h4>
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<p id="zpTGDz"><strong>When:</strong> Thursday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="FiNJXS"><strong>Where:</strong> Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, DC</p>
<p id="p11nne"><strong>How to watch: </strong>CBS Sports Network, Monumental</p>
<p id="sc4N0P"><strong>Keys to the matchup: </strong>The Mystics are favored to win. But Kelsey Mitchell broke out of a recent slump, scoring 20 points and dishing 9 assists in the Fever’s win against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 3. If she can build on that tonight, the Fever will have a shot to pull off the upset.</p>
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<h4 id="CGKP76"><strong>Los Angeles Sparks (13-8) vs. Phoenix Mercury (11-10)</strong></h4>
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<p id="U8Fq59"><strong>When:</strong> Thursday, Aug. 8, at 10 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="47mW3l"><strong>Where:</strong> Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA</p>
<p id="06NlBO"><strong>How to watch: </strong>ESPN2, NBA TV Canada</p>
<p id="FYjY1M"><strong>Keys to the matchup:</strong> Griner has scored in double digits in all but two of Phoenix’s games this season. But the Sparks’ frontcourt will pose a tough challenge for Griner’s offense. A big performance from Griner could still give Phoenix the edge.</p>
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<h4 id="jsZkTe"><strong>Seattle Storm (12-11) vs. Dallas Wings (6-16)</strong></h4>
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<p id="Hnf0tL"><strong>When:</strong> Thursday, Aug. 8, at 10 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="NmqmjK"><strong>Where:</strong> Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, WA</p>
<p id="t7no4d"><strong>How to watch: </strong>WatchESPN, WNBA League Pass, JOETV</p>
<p id="xo7cUu"><strong>Keys to the matchup: </strong>Arike Ogunbowale comes into tonight’s game as Dallas’ leading scorer at 15.0 points per game. However, she is shooting at just a 35.6 percentage rate to get those points. For the Wings to win, Ogunbowale can’t just “get hers” by any means necessary. She will need to shoot at a higher percentage, preferably above 40 percent, to keep the Storm on their toes.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/8/20758938/wnba-phoenix-mercury-los-angeles-sparks-preview-brittney-griner-nneka-ogwumike-candace-parkerAlbert Lee2019-08-03T11:00:00-04:002019-08-03T11:00:00-04:00Recap: EDD, hot shooting lead Mystics to 99-79 rout of Storm
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<img alt="Washington Mystics v Seattle Storm" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Dn18R0me-otKxKxtRLu69KOL-_c=/0x67:3054x2103/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64906306/1159256897.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Elena Delle Donne has scored 20 or more points in four of the Mystics’ last five games, including their win over the Storm on Aug. 2. | Photo by Joshua Huston/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Elena Delle Donne scored 29 points for the Washington Mystics on Friday night as they won their fifth consecutive game. Natasha Howard scored 26 points to lead the Seattle Storm.</p> <p id="hseOPK">The Washington Mystics (14-6) beat the Seattle Storm (12-10) 99-79 on Friday night. Seattle lost its second consecutive game, while Washington won its fifth straight.</p>
<p id="5Erswh">Washington took early control, racing to a quick 23-12 lead after the first quarter. This game was an old-fashioned blowout from start to finish since Washington never trailed.</p>
<p id="ZRqBEf">The Mystics went on an offensive tear, shooting 54.8 percent. They also made 13-of-22 three-point shots while Seattle only shot 3-of-22 from deep.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">☁️ 9 with the corner 3 <a href="https://t.co/0yh2rZ9wwL">pic.twitter.com/0yh2rZ9wwL</a></p>— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1157474877390983168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2019</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">STEP BACK THREEEEE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ToliverThings?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ToliverThings</a> <a href="https://t.co/nJTzb26JOi">pic.twitter.com/nJTzb26JOi</a></p>— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1157475162201063424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2019</a>
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<p id="FF6BSj">Elena Delle Donne led the way for Washington, scoring 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. It was her fourth 20-point game in her last five. Ariel Atkins added 17 points and Emma Meesseman scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.</p>
<p id="FztVoP">Though the Storm were outmatched, Natasha Howard* still came up big with 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting. She also added six rebounds, three steals and three blocks.</p>
<p id="Qv7GTz">No other Storm players scored in double digits. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/nhoward1033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nhoward1033</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeRepSeattle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeRepSeattle</a> <a href="https://t.co/XFRxnSbkrq">pic.twitter.com/XFRxnSbkrq</a></p>— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) <a href="https://twitter.com/seattlestorm/status/1157491823931056129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2019</a>
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<p id="3jhqDH">Washington received four technical fouls, including two on Tianna Hawkins, who was ejected in the fourth quarter. Natasha Cloud and head coach Mike Thibault also received technical fouls.</p>
<h2 id="NTipH2"><strong>Next up</strong></h2>
<p id="3EfdzL">The Storm go on the road to play the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, Aug. 4. Tipoff is at 5 p.m. ET.</p>
<p id="i4exSe">The Mystics continue their three-game road trip against the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday, Aug. 4. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. ET.</p>
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<p id="XHWfCV"><em>Swish Appeal is aware of the domestic violence allegations against Natasha Howard. You can find more information here: </em><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F1078202%2F2019%2F07%2F16%2Fis-storm-wnbas-response-to-domestic-violence-claims-against-natasha-howard-enough%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.swishappeal.com%2Fwnba%2F2019%2F8%2F3%2F20752256%2Fwnba-recap-seattle-storm-washington-mystics-elena-delle-donne-emma-meesseman-natasha-howard" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>https://theathletic.com/1078202/2019/07/16/is-storm-wnbas-response-to-domestic-violence-claims-against-natasha-howard-enough/</em></a></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/8/3/20752256/wnba-recap-seattle-storm-washington-mystics-elena-delle-donne-emma-meesseman-natasha-howardAlbert Lee2019-08-02T19:00:00-04:002019-08-02T19:00:00-04:00GameThread: Storm host Mystics in nationally-televised matchup Friday
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<img alt="Seattle Storm v Washington Mystics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f4SjQbcGwmqcrl5ICU47-sCpM6k=/474x150:2997x1832/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64904538/1150120004.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics will look to win a fifth consecutive game in Friday’s night’s match against the Seattle Storm. | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics meet in Friday’s lone WNBA game. Can Eastern Conference Player of the Month Elena Delle Donne lead Washington to a fifth consecutive victory?</p> <p id="CxyFQS">The Seattle Storm (12-9) host the Washington Mystics (13-6) in Friday’s only WNBA game. It will be a match between two of the WNBA’s top teams and a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals.</p>
<p id="Wl9P55">Washington heads into tonight’s game on a four-game winning streak and begins a three-game road trip after a close <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/7/31/20748043/wnba-recap-washington-mystics-phoenix-mercury-elena-delle-donne-kristi-toliver-brittney-griner">99-93 win</a> over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday. Elena Delle Donne was named the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month and scored a season-high 33 points in her last game. In the same game, Kristi Toliver added 25 points.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/De11eDonne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@De11eDonne</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Nnemkadi30?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nnemkadi30</a> on being named Players of the Month! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/8oWvtVDR5a">pic.twitter.com/8oWvtVDR5a</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1157004163890499584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="AXyWe9">The Storm are playing in their first game since the All-Star break. On July 23, the Storm finished on the wrong side of a <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/7/24/20708104/wnba-recap-las-vegas-aces-seattle-storm-dearica-hamby-liz-cambage-natasha-howard-jewell-loyd">79-62 loss to the Las Vegas Aces</a>. Jewell Loyd will play her third game since returning from the <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/the-hits-keep-coming-as-storm-loses-star-jewell-loyd-for-extended-time-with-severe-ankle-sprain/">right ankle injury</a> she suffered in June. The full week of rest following All-Star weekend should help her to return to form. Natasha Howard* had double-doubles in each of her last two games. However, she also shot a combined 10-of-34 and is poised to have a more efficient performance this time out.</p>
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<h1 id="MmdpR4"><strong>Game information</strong></h1>
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<p id="zpTGDz"><strong>When:</strong> Friday ,Aug. 2, at 10 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="FiNJXS"><strong>Where:</strong> Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, WA</p>
<p id="p11nne"><strong>How to watch: </strong>NBA TV, JoeTV, Monumental, NBA TV Canada</p>
<p id="sc4N0P"><strong>Keys to the matchup: </strong>Howard had fits getting into a rhythm against Liz Cambage and A’ja Wilson in the teams’ previous meetings. Tonight, she will match up against skilled defenders Emma Meesseman and LaToya Sanders who also are known for their finesse. If Howard can get going early, though, her performance could swing the game in the Storm’s favor.</p>
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<p id="STbnE2"><em>Swish Appeal is aware of the domestic violence allegations against Natasha Howard. You can find more information here: </em><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F1078202%2F2019%2F07%2F16%2Fis-storm-wnbas-response-to-domestic-violence-claims-against-natasha-howard-enough%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.swishappeal.com%2F2019%2F8%2F2%2F20750879%2Fwnba-preview-seattle-storm-washington-mystics-elena-delle-donne-kristi-toliver-natasha-howard" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>https://theathletic.com/1078202/2019/07/16/is-storm-wnbas-response-to-domestic-violence-claims-against-natasha-howard-enough/</em></a><em> </em></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2019/8/2/20750879/wnba-preview-seattle-storm-washington-mystics-elena-delle-donne-kristi-toliver-natasha-howardAlbert Lee2019-07-31T11:00:00-04:002019-07-31T11:00:00-04:00Recap: Delle Donne scores season-high 33 points in Mystics’ 99-93 win over Mercury
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<img alt="Phoenix Mercury v Washington Mystics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/M_WP2dQfivZWPtVmby55f2VFzfA=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64884154/1158662943.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 33 points in the Washington Mystics’ 99-93 win over the Phoenix Mercury on July 30. | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 33 points for the Washington Mystics and Kristi Toliver added 25. The Phoenix Mercury were led by Brittney Griner’s 30 points.</p> <p id="pBYJlI">The Washington Mystics (13-6) defeated the Phoenix Mercury (10-9) 99-93 on Tuesday evening in Washington, D.C. The Mystics were led by Elena Delle Donne’s season-high 33 points and Kristi Toliver’s 25 points.</p>
<p id="Y8NHIj">Brittney Griner scored 30 points to lead Phoenix, while Leilani Mitchell scored 28 points and DeWanna Bonner added 25.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">HISTORY! <a href="https://twitter.com/brittneygriner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brittneygriner</a> (30), <a href="https://twitter.com/LeilaniM5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeilaniM5</a> (28) and <a href="https://twitter.com/DEEBONNER24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DEEBONNER24</a> (25) become the first trio of teammates in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBA</a> history to tally at least 25+ points each in a game <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/vg2SDtjLaf">pic.twitter.com/vg2SDtjLaf</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1156380151770492931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="EB6FdA">This contest also earned a spot in the WNBA record books: It was the first time that five players scored 25 or more points in the same game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Mercury-Mystics game featured 5 25-pt scorers. According to <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliasSports</a>, this was the 1st game to have 5 players score 25 points in a game in WNBA history. PHX is the 1st team to have 3 diff players score at least 25 pts in a single game in WNBA history. <a href="https://t.co/Lxa3q0lKZu">pic.twitter.com/Lxa3q0lKZu</a></p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1156375006781161472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="caVHPT">Though the Mystics won this game by just six points, Washington never trailed from start to finish. In fact, the Mystics led by as many as 23 points during the third quarter after Delle Donne scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting in that period.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/De11eDonne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@De11eDonne</a>'s got 1️⃣5️⃣ points JUST THIS QUARTER.<br><br>AND IT'S NOT EVEN OVER YET. <a href="https://t.co/HF8UbzYdEb">pic.twitter.com/HF8UbzYdEb</a></p>— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1156359801783250944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="C1GE2q">In most circumstances, a Mystics opponent would throw the towel in and wait to make amends in for the next regular-season game. However, the Mercury managed to cut the deficit down to just three points as late as 2:29 left in the game.</p>
<p id="KFQ0Hp">Though Washington got hot in the third quarter, Mitchell got hot as well for the Mercury, shooting 3-of-4 from the three-point line. She scored 13 points in the period and 25 in the second half.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a night! Take a look back at all 8⃣ threes from <a href="https://twitter.com/LeilaniM5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeilaniM5</a>'s record-tying performance <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/dVHExRYikU">pic.twitter.com/dVHExRYikU</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1156378390611599367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="6p8nHv">Mitchell ultimately shot 8-of-12 from the three-point line, tying a WNBA record for most threes made in a single game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The 8 threes Leilani made matches the <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> record for most threes in a game.<br><br>It has been done 7 times, four of which are by Mercury players. <a href="https://t.co/xQODHJKgmD">pic.twitter.com/xQODHJKgmD</a></p>— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixMercury/status/1156373987233914880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<p id="vPd3i7">Mitchell wasn’t the only Mercury player to keep Phoenix in position to steal the game. Bonner added 10 points in the final quarter, while Griner stayed as a consistent scoring presence from start to finish. In fact, Griner shot 14-of-18 from the field, giving Washington defenders like Emma Meesseman and LaToya Sanders fits all night.</p>
<p id="7ydWZD">If there was something that held Phoenix back from winning the game, it was bench player scoring. Phoenix’s reserves scored 10 combined points while Washington’s scored 27. Ultimately, Washington’s depth came to the rescue, and it ended up being enough to keep them tied with the Las Vegas Aces for second place in the league.</p>
<p id="grpasi">Despite the loss, the Phoenix Mercury made WNBA history. Griner, Bonner and Mitchell became the first trio on the same team to score 25 points each in a WNBA game. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">HISTORY! <a href="https://twitter.com/brittneygriner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brittneygriner</a> (30), <a href="https://twitter.com/LeilaniM5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeilaniM5</a> (28) and <a href="https://twitter.com/DEEBONNER24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DEEBONNER24</a> (25) become the first trio of teammates in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBA</a> history to tally at least 25+ points each in a game <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/vg2SDtjLaf">pic.twitter.com/vg2SDtjLaf</a></p>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1156380151770492931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2019</a>
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<h2 id="puIBGi"><strong>Up next</strong></h2>
<p id="nyeGex">The Mystics begin a three-game road trip this weekend, starting with a match against the Seattle Storm on Friday, Aug 2. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. ET.</p>
<p id="bMkrlh">The Mercury are back in action on Thursday, Aug. 1 when they travel east to play the Connecticut Sun. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/7/31/20748043/wnba-recap-washington-mystics-phoenix-mercury-elena-delle-donne-kristi-toliver-brittney-grinerAlbert Lee