The Washington Mystics had one thing on their mind: winning. Washington’s defeated record is finally broken. They won 87-68 over the Dream.
As the Mystics step into the arena on Tuesday, the Dream have a chance to improve their record to 6-4, a significant leap from last year’s standings. Back then, they struggled at 2-5, caught in a peculiar pattern of winning and losing three games. The current Dream team, however, feels markedly different, yet there’s a lingering sense of underachievement.
The Atlanta Dream haven’t won back-to-back games since May 29 and May 31, which feels…criminal. Last week, they were run out of the gym by the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty. But then they dished out the most beautiful ball movement during a Chicago Sky win. I am still trying to figure out what to make of this team, but it would be wise for them to win their next three games before getting to the Lynx again on June 19.
However, by the time the second quarter arrived, I wondered if the Dream were on the same page or even on the same planet. The sky was practically falling, and so were the threes from the Mystics.
Washington shot a blistering SEVEN 3-point shots in the first period. SEVEN. Read that again. SEVENNNNNNNN. If I sound mystified – small pun intended – it’s because I am.
Brittney Sykes returned from injury and injected some major life into this team. She looked fresh and crisp, and so did the Mystics.
And the Dream? Pretty lackluster. They were leaving a lot to be desired. Remember that underachieving I hinted at previously? Yeah. It’s here. In fact, it feels like we’re watching Space Jam, where the Dream lose their powers. By halftime, Atlanta found a little resolve to cut the lead to just five points.
But all that quickly disappeared for the rest of the game. I’m not kidding. When the fourth quarter arrived, the Mystics caught fire and were up to 14 3-balls, and the Dream practically quit on the floor. They were standing around, slow to react, all of that.
I’ve seen some bad losses during my time covering the team, but my gosh, I have never seen such an awful showing from Atlanta. Getting blown out is one thing, but quitting on plays? That can’t happen. I’ll spare you the remaining details because it was so bad; nobody should have to relive that. The Mystics defeated record is finally broken. They won 87-68 over the Dream.
Hall About Sports 