Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm – Series 0-2
When: Wednesday, September 12th, at 8 p.m.
Where: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, VA
TV: ESPN 2
Injury
Mystics: N/A
Storm: N/A
Series Stats -
Mystics -
74.5 - points per game
82.0 - points against
42.3 - Field goal %
Storm -
82.0 - points per game
74.5 - points against
48.3 - field goal %
Leading Scorers –
Sea PPG
Stewart
23.5
Jewell Loyd
18
Natasha Howard
13.5
Alysha Clark
8.5
Sue Bird
6
WAS PPG
Ariel Atkins
19
Elena Delle Donne
13.5
Kristi Toliver
10
Natasha Cloud
6.5
LaToya Sanders
4
Keep an eye on:
Washington’s Three Point Shooting: Must improve immediately or Seattle will bring the brooms out. Washington during the regular season, was fifth in the WNBA in three point shooting at 35.8 percent a game accounting for 24.3 percent of the Mystics points. In the playoffs, Washington’s shooting from deep has dropped to 30 percent including 7.1 percent shooting so far finals. For a team that gets a quarter of their points from three point shooting, to shoot that poorly makes it tough for them win consistently. Their two best three point shooters, Elena Delle Donne and Kristi Toliver are shooting 0 and .071 percent. However, in game two, they lost by two points. If Washington gets going and just reach their playoff average, they can take this series the distance.
Keep a body on Natasha Howard: She has been THE spark for the Storm during this series. Whenever a Seattle run begins or when the Storm need to stop a Mystics run with a stop or score or when the Storm grab a key offensive rebound to get another possession, Howard is usually the one making the play. Howard is averaging 13.5 points and 9 rebounds during the finals on 63 percent shooting from the field. Howard also is averaging three offensive rebounds for series and have accounted for six of the teams 21 offensive rebounds. Defensively, she’s also been a force, holding Delle Donne to 13.5 points on 40 percent shooting from the field for the series. Washington has had no answer for Howard so far this series. Keeping her in check individually or by committee will go a long way towards forcing a game four.
