Mystics face Mercury in late push for final playoff berth

The Phoenix Mercury have sewn up their playoff spot while the Washington Mystics are making a late run.

Washington faces a highly pivotal game on Thursday night when it visits Phoenix and continues its bid to earn a surprising postseason berth.

The Mystics (10-23) have won four of their past five games and are suddenly just one game behind the Chicago Sky (11-22) and Atlanta Dream (11-22) in the bid for the final spot.

The fact Washington is part of the race with seven games remaining is stunning after the team lost its first 12 games of the season.

Mystics coach Eric Thibault maintains there has been no discussion about the playoffs.

The focus has been on the recent solid play of the squad.

In its 90-86 road victory over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday, Washington had a mammoth 50-13 advantage in bench points. Emily Engstler was the key player among the reserves with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. She also made three 3-pointers.

"It's nice to see that first three fall; that kind of helps, I can't lie," Engstler said. "But I don't know, I just felt comfortable. I've been feeling comfortable lately in general. And I just try to run with that. And I think we played them, as a collective, really well. And that's contagious."

Phoenix (17-17) is 1-3 entering the finale of a five-game homestand and the lone win clinched the playoff spot on Tuesday when the Mercury beat Atlanta 74-66.

Kahleah Copper poured in 28 points to pace the Mercury.

Natasha Cloud served a one-game suspension for receiving her seventh technical foul in the previous game.

Cloud's absence meant increased playing time for guard Celeste Taylor, who moved into the starting lineup and played a career-high 33 minutes.

Taylor spent the night delivering top-notch defensive play. This is her second stint of the season with the Mercury, with the current one beginning with an appearance on Aug. 23.

"She's a tough kid," Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said of Taylor. "She competes. She hasn't been here very long, but she's not afraid of anything. She's guarding two of the better wings in our league and making it tough on them. And so I thought you can put her on the floor right now because of her defense."

Phoenix won both of this season's previous meetings with Washington.

--Field Level Media