Game 1: Fever at Mystics

Here's a primer to help get you ready for the Mystics' playoff opener tonight against the Indiana Fever in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center.

First, I've received a few questions about the playoff format. It is a best-of-three series and the second and third (if necessary) games will both be in Indianapolis. The conference championships is also a best-of-three, while the league championship series is best-of-five.

If you have any reservations about the Mystics adjusting to Comcast Center, Marissa Coleman might be able to ease your concerns. "It's a shooter's gym and we have a lot of pure shooters on our team. I think we'll do really well there."

Rather than put it into almost every positional discussion, here's the blanket reminder that the Fever boast quite a bit more big-game experience and playing time together than the young Mystics, the youngest team in the playoffs with an average age of 26. Washington is the least experienced team in the postseason with just 31 playoff games. Indiana players have seen action in 154.

Now on to a more detailed breakdown....

Point Guard
Lindsey Harding: third season, 35.1 minutes, 12.8 ppg, 4.5 apg, 1.2 spg, 74% FT, 2.97 turnovers
Tully Bevilaqua: 10th season, 25.3 minutes, 6.1 ppg, 2.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 66% FT, 1.41 turnovers

With Harding, the Mystics have a constant conductor on the court and rarely have to adjust to an opposing player's style.Her ability to set the tempo and adjust to the Fever's aggressive defense will be key. Bevilaqua splits more time with her backup, rookie Briann January, but is cool under pressure after facing nearly every experience during her professional career.

Shooting Guard
Alana Beard: sixth season, 31.8 minutes, 15.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, 73% FT, 3.23 turnovers
Katie Douglas: ninth season, 32.4 minutes, 17.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 86% FT, 2.42 turnovers

Both have been hampered by ankle injuries in September but are expected to play. Their health will undoubtedly play a role should either aggravate the injury again. Douglas is a potent scorer who already piled a career-high 34 points on the Mystics this season. While Beard has the same ability as a tough-to-contain offensive force, she has been inconsistent down the stretch this year. In the final six regular season games she appeared in, Beard has shot 16 of 63 from the field or 25.3 percent.

Small Forward
Monique Currie: fourth season, 21.4 minutes, 8.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 80% FT,1.68 turnovers
Tamika Catchings: eighth season, 31.9 minutes, 15.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 87% FT, 2.59 turnovers

One of the most dynamic and athletic players in the WNBA, Catchings is arguably the best players in the league. She averaged 20.5 points per game in four contests against the Mystics this season and they will need to find a way to contain her scoring and rebounding. Currie has had another inconsistent season but has stepped up recently in her rebounding and defensive efforts, recording at least five rebounds in six of the past seven games.

Power Forward
Crystal Langhorne: second year, 29.8 minutes, 12 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 68% FT, 2.24 turnovers
Ebony Hoffman: sixth year, 29.6 minutes, 9.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 89% FT, 2.41 turnovers

The WNBA's Most Improved Player of 2009 has been quite an asset to the Mystics. Washington must find a way to get Langhorne scoring from the post to help create more space for its perimeter shooters. She may be a bit smaller than Hoffman -- 190 pounds to 215 -- but a size difference has rarely fazed the young forward.

Center
Chasity Melvin: 11th season, 22.2 minutes, 5.9 points, 4.6 rpg, 54% FT, 1.47 turnovers
Tammy Sutton-Brown: ninth season, 25.2 minutes, 9.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 74% FT, 2.80 turnovers

Sutton-Brown is a reliable scorer and often immovable presence in the post for Indiana while Melvin has struggled in her return to Washington this season. While the Fever usually rely on its strong perimeter shooters, if Catchings and Sutton-Brown decide to team up in an effort to attack the glass the Mystics have to find a way to counter punch.

Bench
Washington: F Marissa Coleman, G Matee Ajavon and C Nakia Sanford are all expected to step in for significant chunks of time depending on the matchups Coach Julie Plank chooses to employ. If Beard is still hampered by her ankle injury expect to see a lot of the feisty Ajavon. Coleman will likely also see some considerable time guarding Catchings.
Indiana: The Fever rely on rookie PG Briann January, F Jessica Moore and G Tamecka Dixon to provide relief for their starters but none regularly see more than 20 minutes of playing time. All are solid backups but likely will not be in the game during crunch time.

X-Factor
If I had to pick one element, not player, that could significantly alter the outcome of this series it's discipline and free throw shooting. Indiana is superb from the line with an 82.2 percent success rate while the Mystics shoot 70.1 percent and have had games where their free throw accuracy vanishes.

By Katie Carrera  |  September 17, 2009; 2:50 PM ET
Previous: Langhorne Wins WNBA Most Improved Award | Next: Game 1: Fever 88, Mystics 79

Posted by: RedCherokee | September 17, 2009 4:31 PM

Posted by: mateo_md | September 17, 2009 9:17 PM

Posted by: OriginalMysticsFan | September 17, 2009 11:15 PM

Comments: