Sometimes, there is too much emotion after a game. Sometimes, you have to reflect on the good and the bad. There are other times when you try not to let your emotions get the best of you.
The Washington Mystics were close and had their first win by near. However, once, Washington did not have enough, and they lost to New York Liberty 90-79.
As the only winless team left, the Mystics have shown flashes, and the vision/potential is there, but it simply has not come together in terms of a win.
“I just think we didn’t execute,” Ariel Atkins said. The Mystics in this sample size have shown inconsistency but have seen improvement. There is no excuse for a team that arguably got better on the defensive side of the ball to surrender 34 points in the first quarter.
The Mystics deserve much credit and respect for fighting back in the second quarter. They won respectfully in the first and third quarters. Then came the fourth quarter. Imagine this: close your eyes.
The Mystics took their first lead of the game, 73-72, but then, with 5:00 minutes left, it changed. Outside of the eight games, seven of them have seen the 4th quarter cheat switch turned on. The Mystics had no answers, as they could only respond with four points within those 5 minutes.
To add insult to injury, Washington just fell apart from a discipline offensively showed. Lack of execution, not getting good quality shots, foul trouble, and turnovers. A recipe for disaster, and it showed.
After the last two years, the 2024 season will be a season of transition. When you go in a different direction, things change, including personal change.
However, the first eight games show that patience is a must-have virtue. The vision is still unclear as the team is dealing with injuries (Brittney Sykes missed her sixth game), and Shakira Austin is still finding her groove as she is still on a Minute restriction from off-season hip surgery.
The Mystics’ record does not define this team. Although the Mystics mostly fought to the end of the game, something was not clicking for the team in this sample size of games.
The Washington Mystics go on the road Tuesday, trying to figure things out before facing the Connecticut Sun.
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