The Washington Mystics (10-23) are at a crossroads.
With seven games left in the regular season, they are now one game out of the final playoff spot, trailing just behind the Chicago Sky (11-22) and Atlanta Dream (11-22), both of whom are vying for postseason contention. The reason this is such a crossroads for Washington is because the team is in position to secure a top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft if they remain in the bottom four. Because Washington also owns Atlanta’s pick, which could be a lottery pick if they miss the playoffs, there’s added incentive for the Mystics to remain in the lottery.
Now obviously losing is not anyone’s preferred option, but when a team has struggled as much as Washington has this season, it certainly isn’t crazy to suggest that having two lottery picks in next year’s draft would be more beneficial to their long-term success. With that being said, the Mystics have won four of their last five games, so what’s been the key to their late-season push?
Health and opportunity
The Mystics haven’t been healthy most of this season, and, to an extent, they still aren’t. But, having most of their starting lineup together for this stretch has provided them with some much needed consistency on both ends.
Because of injuries and trades, we…
