Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the WNBA daily as we try to heal from this pandemic.
Ariel Atkins led the Mystics to a big win over the L.A. Sparks.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Ned Dishman/Getty Images.)
It was a wire-to-wire win by the Washington Mystics against the Los Angeles Sparks in the only WNBA game on Thursday.
The Mystics led by as many as 24 points in a game where the Sparks never threatened. The Sparks can say they were without the Ogwumike sisters but the Mystics haven’t had Elena Delle Donne since they won the 2019 WNBA title and Emma Meesseman all year. The Sparks couldn’t dent anything against the District.
Ariel Atkins scored 23 off of 10 field goal attempts. Scoring machine Tina Charles added 20 points and 10 boards. Nobody scored more than 11 points from the Sparks and that was Te’a Cooper, who went 3 for 14. Yikes.
There ain’t much to say about this game. The Mystics go to 4-5 while the Sparks fall to .500 at 4-4.
Bullet Passes
Tina Charles, of course, does other things besides score. She is now 2nd in career double-doubles in WNBA history.
Sylvia Fowles is still playing so I don’t know if the gap will close. But Charles did pass the great Lisa Leslie for second.
WNBA Scoreboard
June 10, 2021
Watch This Play
I REALLY like this ball movement by the Stics.
WOW THE BALL MOVEMENT WAS CRISP 🤝 @WashMystics
📺 @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/wY4zsbCXVx
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 10, 2021
I always appreciate this kind of passing.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the WNBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.