2026-07-06 19:34:35 Plum and the Aces visit the Mystics – NEW WTOP Skip to main content

Plum and the Aces visit the Mystics

By The Associated Press

Las Vegas Aces (22-8, 13-2 Western Conference) at Washington Mystics (19-11, 9-6 Eastern Conference)

Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Kelsey Plum leads Las Vegas into a matchup against Washington. Plum currently ranks second in the WNBA averaging 20.6 points per game.

The Mystics have gone 10-5 in home games. Washington is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 20.0 assists per game led by Natasha Cloud averaging 7.3.

The Aces have gone 12-3 away from home. Las Vegas ranks fifth in the WNBA with 36.1 rebounds per game led by A’ja Wilson averaging 9.3.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Mystics won the last meeting 87-86 on June 26, with Alysha Clark scoring 20 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Shakira Austin is averaging eight points and 6.3 rebounds for the Mystics. Ariel Atkins is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Washington.

Plum is shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc with 3.2 made 3-pointers per game for the Aces, while averaging 20.6 points and five assists. Wilson is averaging 21.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and two steals over the past 10 games for Las Vegas.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mystics: 7-3, averaging 80.8 points, 34.5 rebounds, 18.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.8 points per game.

Aces: 7-3, averaging 94.3 points, 36.5 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.3 points.

INJURIES: Mystics: None listed.

Aces: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Why the Mystics are in the WNBA draft lottery after making the playoffs

By Tyler Byrum
Mystics in WNBA lottery despite making playoffs in 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonTrading back from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft is about to reap a huge benefit for the Washington Mystics for the upcoming draft and beyond. The organization is entering the 2023 Draft Lottery with the rights to the pick that has the third-best odds for the No. 1 overall selection. That's despite the team making the postseason and finishing the year with the fifth-best record.It's all because of the haul Washington received for the top selection last year from the Atlanta Dream. The Mystics moved back to No. 3 in the 2022 draft, received a 2022 second-round pick and, importantly, the rights for a pick-swap with Los Angeles's 2023 first-round pick that was owned by the Dream.Another disappointing season, which saw a contract divorce with star center Liz Cambage, kept the Sparks out of the playoffs for the second-straight season. Thus it gifted the Mystics another opportunity to draft a second lottery prospect in as many seasons. Moving back to No. 3 in 2022, Washington got a player, they believe, who was just as capable of being the No. 1 pick in Shakira Austin. The additional pick was just a way to maximize the value of the top selection."This was not one of those situations where we traded down and took a lesser player, we add a player that's capable of being the first pick also," general manager Mike Thibault said on draft night. "And so I think that's the starting point for us is that we felt we got a player who was capable of being the first pick and then got an added bonus and got another player.”Washington's odds sit at 17.8% of winning the No. 1 overall pick. They are behind the Indiana Fever (44.2%) and the Dream (27.6%); the Minnesota Lynx has the fourth-best odds at 10.4%. The order is set by an aggregate of each team's record for the previous two seasons. Odds are fixed year over year.Once again, it's yet another savvy move that paid off for Thibault. Throughout his tenure with the Mystics, the winningest coach in WNBA history has made the most of their draft assets or developing younger players into tradable pieces. It leads the franchise to be active in trade discussions.That aggressiveness got them Elena Delle Donne back in 2017. He got Tina Charles in 2020 with multiple first-rounders from "down" draft classes in 2020 and 2021.No one would say the deal didn't also pay off for Atlanta also. The Dream took Rhyne Howard first overall. By all accounts, Atlanta got a future superstar with the 2022 Rookie of the Year, beating out Austin in the voting. They also will be the recipient of another lottery selection this year, perhaps another top-tier talent to pair with Howard.Many are excited for who the 2023 WNBA Draft class will produce. The class is headlined by one of college basketball's biggest stars, Aliyah Boston (South Carolina). There are also other potential WNBA starters in Diamond Miller (Maryland), Ashley Joens (Iowa State) and Ashley Owusu (Virginia Tech) throughout the list of prospects. The odds may not be in Washington's favor to land Boston at No. 1. However, the Mystics entered the last lottery with the third-best odds and vaulted to the top position.The WNBA Draft Lottery show will be Friday, Nov. 11 at 5:30 on ESPN2. It will be broadcast prior to the blockbuster South Carolina vs. Maryland women's basketball contest.
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