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Silver Stars-Mystics Preview

Jul 28, 2010 - 7:37 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

San Antonio (8-15) at Washington (13-9), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Washington Mystics moved into a first-place tie in the Eastern Conference last week. Back-to-back losses now have them trying to hang on to one of the final playoff spots.

The Mystics hope a return home can help them get back on track Thursday night when they face a San Antonio Silver Stars team that has made a habit of losing close games.

An 82-72 win over Atlanta last Wednesday pulled the Mystics (13-9) even with Indiana atop the conference. Since reaching first place this late in the season for the first time in eight years, however, Washington has dropped to third, one-half game ahead of Connecticut for the final postseason berth.

That is due to a couple of costly defeats, as Washington fell 78-73 to the visiting Fever on Saturday and 88-78 on the road to the Sun on Tuesday.

"Every game from here is going to be tough," said Mystics coach Julie Plank, whose team has lost four of five following an 8-1 stretch. "I was glad we came back (from a 16-point, third-quarter deficit), but can't afford to get down by that much on the road in a playoff race."

Washington is 8-3 at home but has dropped two of three there.

San Antonio (8-15), loser of six of seven on the road, continues its three-game trip looking for its fourth consecutive victory in the nation's capital. Sparked by Becky Hammon's game-high 21 points and five assists, the Silver Stars won 79-78 at Washington on July 15, needing a steal in the final seconds to prevent the Mystics from completing a 10-point, fourth-quarter rally.

San Antonio, which has dropped eight of 11, hasn't played well in end-of-game situations lately, losing its last four by an average of 4.8 points. After missing their final seven shots and getting outscored 11-0 to end Saturday's 75-72 loss to Chicago, the Silver Stars couldn't get closer than three points in the fourth quarter of a 77-72 defeat at New York on Tuesday.

"We have a lot better chemistry now so we've been playing better ball, I think it's just closing out the game," said coach Sandy Brondello, whose team is one-half game ahead of Los Angeles and Minnesota for the final playoff spot in the West. "... Hopefully the next two games we'll close out with wins."

Hammon and Silver Stars leading scorer Sophia Young (14.6 points per game) averaged a combined 40.0 points last season as San Antonio and Washington split two matchups.

Mystics leading scorer and rebounder Crystal Langhorne, averaging 17.7 points and 11.4 boards at home, had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench in the Silver Stars' last game in Washington.

The Mystics lead the series with the Silver Stars 12-11.