WNBA: Washington Mystics beat Atlanta Dream to clinch final playoff spot
Dallas Wings miss out despite beating New York Liberty in regular-season finale; Las Vegas Aces beat Seattle Storm to claim No 1 seed
Monday 14 September 2020 07:37, UK
Ariel Atkins scored 26 points as the Washington Mystics clinched the eighth and final seed to the playoffs with a win over the Atlanta Dream.
Washington Mystics 85-78 Atlanta Dream
Ariel Atkins scored 26 points as the Mystics clinched the eighth and final seed to the playoffs with a win over the Dream on Sunday night.
The Mystics (9-13) will take on five seed Phoenix (13-9) in the early hours of Wednesday morning in a single-elimination game. Washington's win eliminated the Dallas Wings (8-14) from playoff contention after the Wings beat the New York Liberty 82-79 earlier Sunday.
Washington secured a spot in the post season having won five of their last six games following a stretch where they had lost 11 of 12.
Betnijah Laney scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting for the Dream (7-15).
Las Vegas Aces 86-84 Seattle Storm
A'ja Wilson and Dearica Hamby each scored 23 points and the Las Vegas Aces secured the top seed in the playoffs with an 86-84 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday.
Each team finished at 18-4 but the Aces won both regular season contests against the Storm.
Both squads entered Sunday's season finale having secured double-byes into the semi-finals. Seattle played without forward Breanna Stewart and point guard Sue Bird, who were held out due to injury.
Jewell Loyd's jump shot with 5:11 left put the Storm up 79-74. Kayla McBride followed with a three-pointer 17 seconds later, Hamby recorded a three-point play and Las Vegas led the rest of the way.
Dallas Wings 82-79 New York Liberty
Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points and her three-point play with 12.4 seconds left helped carry Dallas past the New York Liberty.
The Wings (8-14) needed help to earn the No 8 spot, but Washington beat Atlanta later in the day to secure the final playoff position.
Ogunbowale gave Dallas the lead for good when she banked in a 12-foot runner going to her left after getting hit by Amanda Zahui B on the drive.
Jazmine Jones gave the Liberty (2-20) their last lead with a lay-up with 59.8 seconds to go for a 79-78 advantage. Following an exchange of possessions, the Liberty failed to use the clock when Kiah Stokes put up a shot with 15.8 seconds remaining and missed. The Wings called timeout to set up Ogunbowale's game-winning shot.
Jones led New York with 21 points and Leaonna Odom scored 20.
