Sun host Mystics on Sunday
The Connecticut Sun were merrily rolling along through the WNBA season two weeks ago when they ran into the Washington Mystics.
It hasn’t gone well for the Sun since then.
The Sun have lost three of their last four games, starting with a loss at Washington on June 19. The teams play their rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Mohegan Sun Arena in a nationally televised game (1, ESPN).
Connecticut (13-7) is third in the overall standings. The Mystics (13-9) are fifth. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason regardless of conference.
The Sun had one of their worst outings the last time they played the Mystics and lost, 71-64, the fewest points its scored in a game this year.
That loss was the beginning of an offensive slump for Connecticut. It averaged a league-leading 47.2 percent shooting percentage on June 18 and was second in scoring (87.9).
The Sun are second-to-last in points per game (73.8) and shooting percentage (40.1) since June 19. They’ve struggled the most with shots 5-to-9 feet from the basket (19.2 percent) and 15-to-19 feet (28.9 percent).
Washington (13-8) has won its last two games, the first of which was an 87-86 overtime thriller over the Las Vegas Aces, the latter which is tied for the Chicago Sky for the league’s best record.
The Mystics will be shorthanded as two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne did not make the trip to Mohegan. She’s played 14 games as the team has opted to regularly have her sit out games during prior to this weekend’s All-Star break so that she can rest after having two back surgeries since they won the 2019 world championship. She’s averaged a team-high 15.3 points with 5.9 rebounds.
Olympian Ariel Atkins, the lone Washington player selected to play in the All-Star Game, has averaged 15 points. Natasha Cloud has averaged 11 points and a league-leading 7.3 assists.
n.griffen@theday.com
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