WNBA: Washington Mystics host Atlanta Dream with Elena Delle Donne out and season on the line
Live coverage of the WNBA continues on Friday night as the Atlanta Dream visit the Washington Mystics and the league's leading scorer Tina Charles, who are still hoping to secure a playoff spot with only four games remaining; join us live from midnight on Sky Sports Arena or Mix
Friday 10 September 2021 22:16, UK
The Washington Mystics will look to keep their pursuit of the playoffs alive and pull out of a tailspin live on Sky Sports on Friday night when they host the struggling Atlanta Dream, but they will be short-handed for the matchup.
Two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne, who returned briefly in late August from a near two-year absence caused by back problems, will sit out a fifth consecutive game since leaving midway into an August 26 loss to Dallas.
There is a chance she won't return at all this season, according to Mystics coach Mike Thibault, as she is struggling with nerve pain in her surgically repaired back.
Live WNBA
"She's probably not going to play at all this weekend," he said, "and I'm not sure about the rest of the year yet. I don't know yet."
Delle Donne underwent two back surgeries and also opted out of the 2020 season, resulting in a 22-month absence from WNBA action before she returned on August 22.
Washington (10-18) come into Friday's matchup half a game behind the New York Liberty for the last spot in the playoffs and little more than a week remaining in the regular season.
The Mystics sustained their fourth loss in the last five games on Tuesday, and third defeat in a row -- all of which have come by double-digit-point margins -- 105-71 away at the Seattle Storm.
"There's nothing positive to say about this game other than let's go home and regroup and try to figure some things out," Thibault said in his postgame press conference. "There's no moral victories right now."
Tina Charles, a leading candidate for WNBA Most Valuable Player with averages of 23.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, finished with just four points and four rebounds while committing three turnovers on Tuesday.
Center Megan Gustafson, originally signed to a seven-day contract in June to address Washington's lack of frontcourt, is coming off one of her best professional games with 12 points and eight rebounds.
The Mystics will look to re-establish Charles alongside Gustafson against Atlanta (7-21), the first of their final four games and the only one against a team currently out of the playoff hunt.
The Dream snapped an 11-game losing skid that dated back to July 2 with a 69-64 defeat of Dallas on Sunday, but followed with a 76-75 loss Tuesday to Phoenix. Atlanta was outscored 21-14 in the fourth quarter and lost on three free throws surrendered on a foul beyond the arc in the closing seconds.
"The last play, it was unfortunate. I'll take the blame for that," Elizabeth Williams said in the postgame press conference. "This isn't our first close loss, unfortunately. Now it's just a matter of being mature and being professionals and finishing the season up strong."
