WASHINGTON (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 21 points, Ariel Atkins added 16 and the Washington Mystics pulled away from the league-leading Las Vegas Aces for a 78-62 win on Saturday night.
The Mystics led 52-48 going into the fourth quarter and scored the first five points. The defending champions never got closer than five.
A game after becoming the first team in WNBA history to win 30 games, the Aces (30-5) were held to their second-lowest total of the season, 31 below their average. The Phoenix Mercury won 29 games in 2014.
Brittney Sykes added 14 points for the Mystics (16-18), who were 7 of 13 from 3-point range in the second half after going 0 for 13 in the first half. Natasha Cloud had nine assists as the team had 22 on 28 baskets.
Delle Donne, who missed the last two games with a hip injury, went 6 of 10 in 22 minutes. She made two 3-pointers and all seven free-throw attempts.
Kelsey Plum scored 21 points for Las Vegas and A'ja Wilson added 14 with 11 rebounds. The Aces play at New York on Monday. The Liberty held them to 61 points earlier this season.
#Aces will look to rebound in a rematch against New York tomorrow. Las Vegas leads series 2-1.
— Tina Nguyen (@ttinanguyen) August 27, 2023
Both teams have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. https://t.co/tEk4JMEJGI
Plum converted a four-point play in the final minute of the first half to give the Aces a 30-27 lead at the break. Plum's play improved Las Vegas to 3 of 15 behind the arc.
Washington, which jumped to a 13-2 lead, stayed closed by making 11 of 13 from the foul line. The teams were a combined 6 of 29 from the field in the second quarter.
Atkins hit three of Washington's four triples in the third quarter to give the Mystics the lead.
