The Mystics’ season came to a close on Wednesday with a 93-75 loss to the Dream.
Washington never led in a choppy and occasionally ugly game, in which both teams combined for 53 fouls. The Mystics made several runs to keep it close and cut their deficit to as low as 3 points as late as the early fourth quarter. But they could never close the gap.
This was their first home playoff game since 2019 and first postseason series since 2023. It ended in a first-round sweep.
The Dream’s defense was ultimately too much for the Mystics to overcome. Atlanta once again pressured Washington into a series of costly turnovers early. (Although the Mystics cut down on their 23 turnovers from Game 1, they still finished with 19, while forcing just eight.) Their offense found themselves consistently pressed into bad looks and awkward shots. Even in the paint, where they usually thrive, Washington could do relatively little.
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Sonia Citron led the Mystics in scoring with 25 points. Kiki Iriafen added 15 points and 16 rebounds.
It ends a joyful, surprisingly successful season for the Mystics. With some impressive developmental leaps among their young players, the team’s rebuild ended ahead of schedule, and they became the youngest roster to qualify for the playoffs in the history of the WNBA.
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