Mystics visit Dream for high-stakes showdown

The Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics are two of three teams locked in a tight race for the final WNBA playoff spot.

On Friday night in Atlanta, the Dream (12-24) and Mystics (12-24) meet for the first of two games in three days as both sides try to overtake the Chicago Sky (13-23) for the eighth and final postseason berth.

Washington returned from the extended Olympic break and promptly lost its first three games. The Mystics have since won six of their past eight to climb into contention with four games to play.

In Chicago on Wednesday night, Washington showed that it might have the best chance at overcoming the Sky in the standings by dismantling Chicago 89-58.

"I thought it was a really good, take care of business, win," Mystics coach Eric Thibault said.

Leading the way was rookie Aaliyah Edwards with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her third double-double of the season and first since June 6.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has struggled down the stretch while dropping seven of its past nine games.

On Tuesday, Atlanta fell to the Minnesota Lynx 76-64. The Dream tied the game in the third quarter at 50-50, only for the Lynx to go on a 13-4 run heading into the fourth quarter to pull away for the victory.

Entering that loss, Rhyne Howard was on the best scoring stretch in her three WNBA seasons. She had averaged 33.3 points in her three previous games, shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. Against the Lynx, Howard cooled down against Minnesota's added attention on defense, scoring 14 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

Despite the recent bumps in the road for the Dream, three of their next four games are against either the Mystics or Sky, and a positive outcome to the stretch could spell a second straight appearance in the playoffs for Atlanta.

"We're still fighting, fighting for our lives," Atlanta coach Tanisha Wright said. "We're fighting for that opportunity."

--Field Level Media