Think back to last May, when the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Now imagine if both games happened on the same night.
The WNBA equivalent of that is happening Tuesday, with two WNBA Semifinal Game 5s deciding which teams will pack up and go home and which will advance to the championship series. Before the No. 1 Seattle Storm host the No. 5 Phoenix Mercury in the nightcap, the No. 3 Washington Mystics will tip off down south against the No. 2 Atlanta Dream.
Interested yet? Here’s everything you need to know to watch the Mystics.
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Opponent: Atlanta Dream (series tied 2-2)
Where: McCamish Pavilion at Georgia Tech, Atlanta
When: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 8 p.m.
Television: ESPN2
What to watch for: Elena Delle Donne returned after missing the end of Game 2 and all of Game 3 with a bone bruise in her knee. She and five other Mystics scored in double figures in Game 4, and after the first three games were decided by three, three and five points, Washington stormed away with a 21-point win. … The Mystics also re-discovered their shooting touch they’d briefly lost. They shot 12-for-26 from 3-point range — including 10-for-16 from the second half — in Game 4 while Atlanta went 6-for-16. … Washington has never reached the WNBA Finals in its 21-year franchise history.
Pre-game reading:
“Mystics tie series with Dream in Delle Donne’s return,” by Adam Zielonka
“Mystics miss injured Delle Donne in Game 3 loss to Dream,” by Adam Zielonka
“LaToya Sanders, Mystics center, takes pride in defensive production,” by Adam Zielonka
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