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Mystics-Sky Preview

Aug 20, 2015 - 9:48 PM The Washington Mystics just swept the Western Conference leaders in impressive fashion.

Getting a home-and-home sweep of a team chasing them in the East would help in their quest for home-court advantage.

The Mystics play league top scorer Elena Delle Donne and her Chicago Sky twice in three days this weekend, beginning with Friday night's matchup at Allstate Arena.

Washington (15-9) is tied with Indiana for second place in the East, with Chicago (15-11) one game back. The top two get home-court advantage in the first round of the postseason.

The Mystics improved to 7-1 against West foes by beating Minnesota 77-69 at home Sunday and 79-61 on the road three days later. Washington used a 23-12 third quarter Wednesday to expand a two-point halftime lead to 13.

Kara Lawson scored 20 points, Ivory Latta added 16 and Tayler Hill had 10 as the trio combined to make 7 of 13 3-pointers.

"They went on a great run," Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. "They started knocking down 3-balls and had a great bounce in their step."

Washington held Lynx star Maya Moore to 10 points. She averages 20.7 to rank second in the league.

A similar defensive effort will be needed against a Chicago team scoring a league-best 83.0 points per game behind Delle Donne, averaging 24.2 points on 47.1 percent shooting.

Delle Donne is averaging 19.7 points on 35.6 percent shooting in the season series, with the Sky winning two of three. These teams also meet Sunday in Washington.

Chicago returns home after losing two of three on the road, falling 76-64 to Los Angeles on Sunday. Delle Donne had 23 points and eight rebounds.

The Sky allowed the Sparks to shoot 48.4 percent. Chicago is allowing teams to average 80.0 points for the league's second-worst mark.

"I feel extremely confident in this group," coach Pokey Chatman told the Sky's official website. "We need to focus on the defensive end of the floor and make our opponents feel uncomfortable out on the court."

Washington center Emma Meesseman, averaging 14.7 points in the season series, dislocated her right index finger Sunday. She was limited to six points in under 20 minutes Wednesday.

The Mystics are second in the league in 3-point shooting at 35.7 percent while the Sky are second-worst at 31.1.