With Shakira Austin (ankle) out, Washington clamps down on defense late to beat Chicago
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Their playoff hopes left for dead after a five-game losing streak that spanned the Olympic break, the Mystics (9-22) are 2½ games behind the Sky (11-19) in the race for the final WNBA playoff spot with nine games remaining in the regular season. The Atlanta Dream (10-20) sit in ninth.
Complicating things is that the Mystics own the Dream’s first-round pick in 2025.
“I don’t know if, individually, people are thinking about it,” Stefanie Dolson said of the playoff chase, “but, obviously, standings are important, and when you play a team and beat them, it jumps you up a lot. We know our schedule that’s left and if we keep playing like this, we have a chance to make the playoffs. So, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”
The Mystics outscored the Sky 20-12 over the final 10 minutes, overcoming a disastrous third quarter in which they shot just 25 percent. Dolson scored eight of the Mystics’ 10 points in the third, with only Shatori Walker-Kimbrough contributing to the offense in the period.
The defense, however, picked up in the fourth quarter. The Mystics used a 13-2 run to close the game, which included forcing a shot-clock violation with 8.5 seconds left with a two-point lead.
Dolson scored a game-high 17 points, and Ariel Atkins finished with 15.
Michaela Onyenwere led the Sky with 15 points, and Diamond DeShields added 12. Baltimore native and former Maryland Terrapin Angel Reese ended the night with seven points and 14 rebounds. It was just the fourth time all season she was held to single-digit scoring.
“My favorite part about [the defense] was how connected we were,” Atkins said. “And if somebody went and helped, that person was helped.
“We knew that the bigs had a heavy task down low, so we did the best that we could to try to not only discourage the pass but try to be in there and help them as much as we can.”
Thibault added, “We’ve turned into one of the best defensive teams in the league since the break.”
Shakira Austin didn’t play after suffering an ankle sprain in Monday’s win in Seattle. Thibault said there was minimal swelling after the flight from Seattle and there was no major damage.
The Sky was without its leading scorer Chennedy Carter, who is in health and safety protocols.
Karlie Samuelson returned to the Mystics’ lineup from a three-game absence after she hyperextended her right knee against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 17. She went through a couple different braces over the past couple days as she got closer to returning before settling on the one she wore in the game.
One of the things Thibault has wanted to do down the stretch was evaluate some of the younger players. That was on full display Wednesday as Sika Koné (six points), who was part of the Myisha Hines-Allen trade, made her debut and Sug Sutton, also part of that trade, was back on the court after not getting any minutes in Seattle.
With Austin out, Aaliyah Edwards made her 11th start of the season, and the No. 6 overall pick got to battle against the No. 8 pick in Reese, who made the all-star team as a rookie. At one point, Thibault used a lineup with Atkins, Sutton, Walker-Kimbrough, Emily Engstler and Koné. Engstler (nine points, three rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal) had her third consecutive strong outing.
“This team's getting pretty resilient,” Thibault said. “Finding ways to dig a little deeper and come back and hold them at 12 in the fourth quarter and take pretty good care of the ball. This year, next year and beyond, road wins are a great habit to get into.”
The Mystics now return home to host the Sun on Saturday before heading back on the road to face the Wings and Mercury next week.
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