Just like that, four teams' seasons are at risk of ending early after the first day of the WNBA Playoffs. With the first round being a best-of-three series, things can get out of hand fast. The losers of Game 1 need to draw up some confidence quickly.
The Washington Mystics were one of the hottest teams heading into the postseason. Unluckily for them, they were paired against another one of the league's most confident teams — the Atlanta Dream. The first half of Game 1 was a neck-and-neck; the Mystics went into the break with a five-point lead. The young squad fell apart in the second half. The Dream ultimately claimed Game 1 with a final score of 92-77.
Washington has little time to look back and dwell. Game 2 is on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Here are three adjustments you can count on the Mystics focusing on before this must-win matchup.
Limiting turnovers
The Mystics committed 23 turnovers, while the Dream committed only 7. Those 23 turnovers turned into 27 points on the board for Atlanta. It's simple to say, 'They shouldn't turn the ball over as much in Game 2,' but how exactly will they make that possible?
In the postgame press conference, Sonia Citron, who had three turnovers, was asked about Atlanta's ability to force them. She credited the Dream's physicality. "We can't let them speed us up," Citron said. Atlanta leads the league in steals per game; their starters combined for 13 yesterday. They are known hounds on defense, who will never back down in their aggressiveness. It's easier said than done, but Washington has to combat that with composure and strong defense of its own.
Creating and keeping first half energy
The difference between the first and second halves for both teams was like night and day. Through the first 20 minutes, we didn't see the Atlanta team we're used to. They shot around 28 percent from the field, putting up only 36 points. The Mystics' defense was putting on a show, outrebounding the Dream 25-17.
In the second half, things quickly turned around for the Dream. Atlanta shot over 62 percent from the field in the third quarter; Washington only shot around 20 percent. When asked about the second-half decline, Citron stated, "In the first half, we did a good job of just making everything hard for them. And then, in that third quarter, we just let some of our discipline slip. They're a great team, so once they get going, it's really hard to stop them. We couldn't really convert on the offensive side, but I think it was really just our defense."
We have to remember that this Mystics squad oftentimes runs through Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Yesterday was their first-ever playoff game. Seemingly, adrenaline was high in the first half and things just got out of hand after the break. "It's our first time being here. Not that that's an excuse, but now we know what it looks like; we have a taste for it. We will be better prepared for our game on Wednesday," Iriafen stated in the post-game press conference.
Being intentional in foul trouble
Piggybacking off the lack of playoff experience on this young Mystics squad, Iriafen emphasized her need to stay composed. Iriafen picked up two early fouls in the first quarter. She stated, "I can't get those two early fouls... it doesn't help my bigs out, like they don't have subs, either. I have to be more disciplined and understand the flow of the game and how the refs are calling it."
These are two incredibly physical teams. Between players like Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Iriafen, Shakira Austin and Cotie McMahon, you can almost always count on there being intense battles for the ball. In Game 2, the Mystics need to remain composed and also be incredibly mindful of how much they can get away with physically. Expect them to hone in on when a little more aggressiveness is necessary and when to play looser to avoid foul trouble.
Head Coach Sydney Johnson gave Iriafen credit when it came to her intentionality in the second half. "That's one of her big steps forward... dealing with that adversity through the officiating. She really, really composed herself well when we put her back in, whether it's starting the third or fourth quarter, like this evening. Just reading the game...just kind of slow it down and get your own playoff experience," he said.
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