Why Mystics will be the team no one wants to face in the WNBA playoffs

1 month ago 35

They are young, and they might be inexperienced.

But make no mistake: the Washington Mystics are dangerous.

The Mystics secured a huge win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday. Washington rocked up to Gainbridge Fieldhouse and dismantled the WNBA's No.1 offense in a 93-77 victory that fully reflected the action on the hardwood.

MORE: Caitlin Clark’s 25 points cannot save Fever from costly Mystics loss

The Mystics have the WNBA's second-ranked scoring defense, and Washington ranks third in defensive efficiency. They held Indiana to just 36.6 percent shooting on Sunday, and a 21.4 percent mark from three-point range.

A bruising interior game helped the Mystics to a win that secures the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Fever. Washington outscored Indiana 50-38 in the paint; Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen both recorded 20-point, 10-rebound double-doubles.

Need to space the floor a bit? That's where Sonia Citron comes in. The Mystics' second-leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, Citron boasts a 61.8 true shooting percentage and is one of the WNBA's most clutch scorers.

The Mystics aren't afraid to get physical -- no team in the WNBA fouls more often than they do -- and teams can't really score on them. Washington has held opponents to the third-lowest three-point percentage and the second-lowest two-point field goal percentage in 2026.

That's a recipe for success in the WNBA playoffs, where scoring drops and defensive intensity is rewarded.

It might not be time for the Mystics to open a new championship window, seven years after their 2019 success. But the blueprint is there for a surprise playoff run in October.