Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins led the Washington Mystics’ hot long-range shooting in a 92-74 whipping of the visiting Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night.
Cloud put up 18 points and Atkins had 15 points. They were a combined 8-for-11 on 3-point attempts, with each making four, to help Washington post a season-high point total.
Elena Delle Donne scored eight of her 11 points in the second half for the Mystics (13-9). She was in the lineup despite playing the team’s previous game, Saturday at Las Vegas, as her playing time increases after a series of rest days predicated by a back ailment. She logged just 19 minutes.
Myisha Hines-Allen added 11 points off the Washington bench.
The Mystics, who have won back-to-back games for just the second time since starting the season 5-1, made 15 of 25 long-range attempts. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough produced all nine of her points on 3-pointers.
Reserve guard AD Durr posted 13 points and backup forward Naz Hillmon had 11 points for the Dream, who shot 5-for-20 from beyond the arc. That included Rhyne Howard’s 0-for-7 clip from 3-point range.
Howard finished with five points on 2-of-14 shooting from the floor as Atlanta (8-11) fell for the seventh time in eight games.
Washington eclipsed the 80-point mark for the 12th time in 22 games this season.
The Mystics led 52-32 at halftime while improving to 3-0 against Atlanta this season. Washington has won five in a row in the series.
Cloud and Atkins both made three 3-pointers in the first half as part of the Mystics’ 8-for-12 shooting from long range.
Cloud sank two 3-pointers as the Mystics opened a 13-2 lead. The teams combined for eight 3-point baskets in the first nine minutes.
Washington didn’t score for the first three minutes of the second quarter before Shakira Austin notched the game’s next five points to increase the lead to 37-24. Atlanta managed just one field goal in the final four minutes of the first half.
–Field Level Media
