Mystics aim to alter fortunes versus Mercury (Aug 5, 2017)

Published Aug. 5, 2017 7:15 p.m. ET

August already is in the running as the cruelest month for the Washington Mystics, and it's only a few days old.

Facing Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury coming off a loss isn't exactly the ideal remedy, but such is the case on Sunday in Washington.

The Mystics (14-10) lost 76-74 to the San Antonio Stars on Friday in Washington's first game since losing All-Star Elena Delle Donne to a thumb injury. Washington entered the month and the matchup against the owners of the WNBA's worst record with a three-game winning streak.

Washington led 74-71 on Tierra Ruffin-Pratt's basket with 1:52 remaining, but San Antonio scored the final four points. Kayla Alexander's jumper with 49.1 seconds left put the Stars up for good. Emma Meesseman's potential game-tying runner was blocked in the closing seconds.

Kristi Toliver led Washington with 18 points. Ruffin-Pratt scored 17 and Meesseman added 15 for the Mystics, who shot 31.6 percent (6 of 19) on 3-pointers and 66.7 percent (10 of 15) from the free throw line. Krystal Thomas grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds.

"They played great for stretches, but at the end of the day, it's a loss," Mystics coach Mike Thibault said. "We didn't score well except for in the first quarter. You have to make baskets. It's difficult. ... And the last play Meesseman got fouled but clearly there was no whistle."

Delle Donne, seventh in the WNBA at 18.8 points, is expected to miss two to three weeks. The Mystics previously lost second-leading scorer Tayler Hill for the season with a knee injury. Reserve guard Natasha Cloud (foot) missed the San Antonio loss.

"People are going to be counting us out right now," Thomas said. "We are supposed to come down here and win, we have enough in this room. To win games, our focus was to come out as hard as we can and get the win but we fell a little short tonight."

Nobody looks past the Mercury (13-11) thanks to the presence of Taurasi, who scored 33 points in Friday's 93-92 loss at the Connecticut Sun.

Leilani Mitchell's 3-pointer with 3 seconds left pulled Phoenix within one point and the Mercury had a chance to win after Connecticut missed two free throws on the other end. Cayla George's shot at the buzzer missed.

"We didn't play well the whole game and sometimes the games come down to the wire like that," Taurasi told the Hartford Courant.

The Mercury lost despite shooting 50.6 percent from the field. They trailed by double figures in the second half and committed 16 turnovers.

"You over-magnify those last couple possessions, but overall we were just too loose on a couple things," Taurasi said. "They played well and made shots -- they deserved to win."

Phoenix continues playing without Brittney Griner (knee). The WNBA's leading scorer with 22.3 points per game last played on July 14. She had 30 points and 14 in an 88-80 win over Washington on July 5.