Mystics beat Sun to take 2-1 lead in WNBA Finals
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Elena Delle Donne put forth a gutsy effort, playing through a back injury, and Washington beat the Connecticut Sun 94-81 on Sunday and moved within a victory of winning the franchise’s first title.
The league’s MVP has a herniated disk that is pinching a nerve in her back and was questionable to play in Game 3. She finished with 13 points, hitting 5 of her 6 shots and played 26 minutes. She was clearly limited in her movement and stayed mostly on the perimeter, but was effective enough to command the attention of Connecticut’s defense. That opened it up for Emma Meesseman and Kristi Toliver. Meesseman had 21 points, including nine to start the fourth quarter, and Toliver added 20 points and 10 assists. Washington will try and win the first championship in franchise history on Tuesday night with Game 4 in Connecticut.
Delle Donne hit an early 3-pointer and the Mystics made six of their nine shots from behind the arc in the first quarter to take a 32-17 lead after 10 minutes.
Washington led by as many as 17 points in the first half. It was 37-23 before the Sun went on a 16-4 run and Washington led 43-39 at the break.
Jonquel Jones converted a 3-point play to open the third quarter cut the lead to one, but that was as close as Connecticut would get.
They trailed by two when Delle Donne hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 58-53. The Mystics took a 68-57 lead into the fourth quarter and stretched that to 18 before a final run by the Sun that Delle Donne ended with a tough layup.
Shekinna Stricklen and Jasmine Thomas each had 16 points for the Sun. Jones, who scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in Connecticut’s Game 2 win, scored just nine points to go with her nine boards.
Coping
The 6-foot-5 Delle Donne, who averaged 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds this season, left Tuesday’s 99-87 Game 2 loss without scoring a point after playing only a few minutes in the first quarter. There were a few scary moments for her on Sunday. She went down to her knees for a loose ball just over five minutes into the game, was subbed out and went straight to the tunnel. But she returned a few minutes later. The team said it was part of the plan to keep her back warm by having her stretch with the trainers instead of sitting on the bench.
Rebounds
Washington outrebounded Connecticut 34-27 after being dominated on the boards, 41-27 in Game 2.
Tip-ins
Washington: Delle Donne had averaged 21.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in the Mystics’ first five playoff games. She had scored at least 10 points in 23 straight playoff games before Tuesday.
Connecticut: The Sun were 15-2 at home in the regular season and swept their two semifinal games here against Los Angeles. This was the first Finals game at the Mohegan Sun since they went to back-to-back in 2004 and 2005. That team was led by current Mystics coach Mike Thibault, who spent 10 years in Uncasville before being fired in 2012.
Up next
Washington can win its first WNBA championship on Tuesday night at home.