Liberty losing streak reaches 5 as Mystics cruise
Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne gestures to the crowd after the Mystics' 78-69 win over the Liberty on Thursday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Credit: For The Washington Post by Craig Hudson
WASHINGTON — Elena Delle Donne scored 25 points, Ariel Atkins added 16 points and the Washington Mystics beat the Liberty, 78-69, on Thursday to extend the Liberty's losing streak to five games.
The Liberty scored the first 10 points of the game and got off to a 15-2.
Natasha Howard had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Liberty (9-17). Ionescu scored 15 points and Marine Johannes added 12. The Liberty were playing their third consecutive day game.
Leading by six late in the game, Atkins disrupted a pass along the three-point line and Alysha Clark grabbed the loose ball and raced for a fast-break layup to extend Washington's lead to 77-69 with 36.7 seconds left. After a timeout, Sabrina Ionescu missed a long three-pointer and Clark secured the rebound before making one of two free throws with :24.1 left.
Myisha Hines-Allen had 13 points for Washington (17-11). The Mystics have a week off before playing at Dallas on July 28.
Washington scored 12 unanswered points late in the first half until Ionescu completed a three-point play with 3.5 seconds left to pull the Liberty within 40-37 at the break. The Mystics added a 18-6 run in the third quarter and led 61-48 early in the fourth quarter until the Liberty scored 10 straight to get back in it.
