Mystics' Playoff Hopes Dwindle After 87-71 Loss to Liberty

Mystics Fall to 10-17, Must Win Out to Reach Playoffs

The Washington Mystics' playoff hopes took a major hit on Tuesday night as they fell to the New York Liberty, 87-71, at Barclays Center. The loss drops the Mystics' record to 10-17, and they now need to win their final four games of the regular season and hope for help from other teams in order to reach the playoffs.

Slow Start Dooms Mystics

The Mystics got off to a slow start and never recovered. They trailed by 10 points after the first quarter and by 15 at halftime. The Liberty's defense held the Mystics to just 35% shooting from the field, and they forced 16 turnovers.

Clark, Howard Lead Mystics' Scoring

Ariel Atkins led the Mystics in scoring with 18 points, followed by Natasha Cloud with 15 and Elena Delle Donne with 13. However, no other Mystics player scored more than seven points.

Liberty's Balanced Attack

The Liberty, meanwhile, had a more balanced attack. Sabrina Ionescu led the way with 17 points, while Natasha Howard added 16 and Sami Whitcomb had 15. Rebecca Allen and Jocelyn Willoughby each chipped in with 10 points off the bench.

Mystics' Playoff Hopes on Life Support

The Mystics' playoff hopes are now on life support. They need to win their final four games of the regular season and hope that the Dallas Wings or Indiana Fever lose at least two of their remaining games.

What's Next?

The Mystics will return to action on Thursday night when they host the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks are currently 11-16, so the Mystics will need to play their best game of the season to have a chance to win.