Ariel Atkins dropped a season-high 28 points, Elizabeth Williams recorded a season-high 15 rebounds and the Washington Mystics defeated the Indiana Fever 87-75.
All smiles leaving Indiana with a dub!#Mystics25 // @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/ipIFbg2Yfu
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) June 1, 2022
Last night the Mystics overcame an early 11-point deficit in the first quarter. At first, Washington was a bit overwhelmed by the Fever’s fast pace. The Mystics trailed the Fever 46-38 at halftime, but a few adjustments from Mystics’ head coach Mike Thibault helped the team pivot in the second half.
Kelsey Mitchell cashed in 26 points as she led the Fever in scoring. NaLyssa Smith also chipped in with 13 points and 4 rebounds.
Needless to say, the Mystics settled in and slowed down the Fever with their half-court offense. Natasha Cloud also dished out 9 assists behind her 16 points.
After last night’s win, Washington is now 15-2 against Indiana since 2017. The Mystics are now 7-3 on the season and are sitting in second place in the league standings.
Here are a couple of takeaways from the Mystics’ 87-75 win over the Fever.
Ariel Atkins continues to emerge
As the 2022 season continues to unfold, it’s clear that Atkins is in attack mode. She has scored 20 or more three times this season.
As of now, she is averaging a career-high 16.4 points per game while continuing to force the issue on defense.
When Atkins is aggressive on offense, she opens up the floor for the rest of her teammates. Playing in the Wubble (2020) while most of her teammates were out due to personal reasons and injury has helped.
While watching the Mystics play, it’s clear that Atkins is playing with another level of confidence. In addition to her 28 points, the 5-8 guard recorded 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Atkins playing aggressive takes the pressure off of Elena Delle Donne (19 points) and Cloud on the offensive end.
Insert Elizabeth Williams
On February 1st, the Mystics announced that they signed Elizabeth Williams and it has paid off. At the end of the last night’s game, Williams finished with 10 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks.
Williams impacted the game with her energy and ability to alter shots. In addition, her six blocks impacted the game because they forced Indiana out of the paint.
The defensive intensity of the Mystics elevated in the second half of the game. Not to mention, their defense led to easy points in transition.
Atkins spoke about how Williams’s presence in the paint helps the team as a whole.
“It makes my life 100 percent easier because I’m out there flying, it’s super helpful and it makes you be more comfortable being able to pressure, knowing that you have a shot-blocker like E, said Atkins.”
Defense ➡️ Offense 💪@E_Williams_1 gets the block and finds @T_Cloud4 for the layup. pic.twitter.com/4iNvPlDgW3
— espnW (@espnW) May 31, 2022
Williams also takes the pressure off of Delle Donne on the defensive side. In addition to defense, Williams also helps in the pick-and-roll game with the backcourt.
Although it’s still early in the season, Washington is trending upward and they are still acclimating Alysha Clark back into the lineup.
This Friday, the Mystics will be taking on the New York Liberty at 7:00 pm on Twitter. In addition, the team will be wearing Orange In Unity to promote the message of ending Gun Violence.
As we wait for the game to start, one way to help end gun violence now is to urge your elected officials to pass gun safety laws.
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) May 31, 2022
➡️ https://t.co/rZcSMpZmlV#WearOrange // @Everytown
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