Washington Mystics standouts Elena Delle Donne and Ariel Atkins returned to action Friday for the first time since early July. And even though they played limited minutes, just their presence on the court was uplifting for the Mystics, who ended a nine-game road losing streak with a 83-79 victory at the Indiana Fever.
“We’re happy as hell to just have them back,” said guard Brittney Sykes, who scored 30 points for the second consecutive game to lead Washington. “It’s still a journey, it’s still a process with them getting back. They can’t just go out and play 40 minutes.”
Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP, last played July 9, and Atkins on July 11; both were out with ankle sprains. Both key members of Washington’s 2019 WNBA championship team, Delle Donne played 11 minutes Friday and Akins 14; each scored six points.
Delle Donne did not play in the second half after experiencing some tightness when she was warming up after halftime. Mystics coach Eric Thibault said the team opted to be cautious.
“We’ll see where everybody is when we get…
