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Mystics-Dream Preview

Aug 2, 2010 - 4:56 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Washington (15-10) at Atlanta (18-9), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Last month's loss to the Washington Mystics dropped Atlanta from the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Dream don't want that to happen again.

Atlanta looks to win its fifth in a row Tuesday night when it hosts a Mystics club trying to win three straight for the first time in a month.

The Dream (18-9) lost their fourth in a row July 21, falling 82-72 at Washington to drop one-half game behind the Mystics and Indiana for the conference lead.

Atlanta, though, has won four in a row since that loss by an average of 17.8 points. A 90-74 victory over the defending conference champion Fever on Sunday gave the Dream a one-game lead over Indiana in the race for the No. 1 spot in the East.

"It was a great win for us," coach Marynell Meadors said. "We played good defense and were able to get out and run. That's our game."

Another loss to third-place Washington, which trails the Dream by two games, coupled with an Indiana victory over New York on Tuesday will drop Atlanta percentage points behind the Fever.

Second-year forward Angel McCoughtry will try to prevent that from happening. McCoughtry, third in the league with 21.1 points per game, had 23 last month against the Mystics and scored 10 of her 23 in the fourth quarter and overtime of an 86-79 victory at Washington on June 5.

While the Dream are trying to improve their conference-best 10-2 home record, Washington (15-10) looks to open its three-game trip with three consecutive wins for the first time since a four-game run June 27-July 3.

The Mystics beat league-worst Tulsa 87-62 on Sunday behind 15 points apiece from Monique Currie and Katie Smith. Second-year guard Marissa Coleman posted her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

"We know we need to get wins, and we know we're fighting for a top playoff spot," Coleman said.

Mystics leading scorer and rebounder Crystal Langhorne is averaging 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds against the Dream this season.

Atlanta, which won both home games against Washington in 2009, will host the Mystics again Aug. 22 in the regular-season finale for both teams.