Around this time a year ago at the conclusion of the 2018 WNBA Playoffs, the Washington Mystics exited the WNBA Finals falling shy of their ultimate goal of a league title after being swept 3-0 by the Seattle Storm in the championship series.
Fast forward a year later, the Mystics once again found themselves in the Finals for the second straight season. But this time around, there was a much different outcome.
No. 1 Washington got its redemption in the league's championship series on Thursday night at Entertainment and Sports Arena in the nation's capital, defeating the second-seeded Connecticut Sun 89-78 to take the best-of-five series 3-2 and grab its fist WNBA title in franchise history.
Thursday night's Game 5 was a back-and-forth contest through three quarters of play, with Connecticut holding a two-point lead going into the final 10 minutes of action.
In the fourth quarter, however, Washington put its foot on the gas and pulled away to grab the WNBA title.
The Mystics outscored the Sun 27-14 in the final quarter, having multiple different players step up late in the game to put things out of reach on their home floor in the winner-take-all game.
Emma Meesseman, who was named the Finals MVP, tallied a team-best 22 points, three rebounds and three assists to lead Washington off the bench. The 2019 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne finished with a near double-double of 21 points and nine rebounds, while Kristi Toliver and Natasha Cloud each added 18 points a piece for the Mystics.
Connecticut, which saw its impressive season and postseason run come to a disappointing end in the nation's capital, was led by Jonquel Jones with 25 points and nine rebounds, Alyssa Thomas with 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and Courtney Williams with 16 points.
A year ago at this time, the Mystics were walking off of their home court after being swept in the 2018 Finals.
This season, they walk off the same floor with a different outcome.
They walk off as the 2019 WNBA Champions.
NO. 1 WASHINGTON MYSTICS 3, NO. 2 CONNECTICUT SUN 2
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(image credit: courtesy of WNBA.com)[/caption]
2019 WNBA PLAYOFFS RECAP
Now with the WNBA Playoffs in the rearview mirror, here's a look back at how we got to the championship series and how each round broke down throughout the postseason:
FIRST ROUND (single elimination games)
Sept. 11: No. 5 Chicago 105, No. 8 Phoenix 76
Sept. 11: No. 6 Seattle 84, No. 7 Minnesota 74
SECOND ROUND (single elimination games)
Sept. 15: No. 3 Los Angeles 92, No. 6 Seattle 69
Sept. 15: No. 4 Las Vegas 93, No. 5 Chicago 92
SEMIFINALS (best-of-five series, 2-2-1)
Game 1 — Sept. 17: No. 2 Connecticut 84, No. 3 Los Angeles 75
Game 1 — Sept. 17: No. 1 Washington 97, No. 4 Las Vegas 95
Game 2: — Sept. 19: No. 2 Connecticut 94, No. 3 Los Angeles 68
Game 2 — Sept. 19: No. 1 Washington 103, No. 4 Las Vegas 91
Game 3 — Sept. 22: No. 4 Las Vegas 92, No. 1 Washington 75
Game 3 — Sept. 22: No. 2 Connecticut 78, No. 3 Los Angeles 56
Game 4 — Sept. 24: No. 1 Washington 94, No. 4 Las Vegas 90
WNBA FINALS (best-of-five series, 2-2-1)
Game 1 — Sept. 29: No. 1 Washington 95, No. 2 Connecticut 86
Game 2 — Oct. 1: No. 2 Connecticut 99, No. 1 Washington 87
Game 3 — Oct. 6: No. 1 Washington 94, No. 2 Connecticut 81
Game 4 — Oct. 8: No. 2 Connecticut 90, No. 1 Washington 86
Game 5 — Oct. 10: No. 1 Washington 89, No. 2 Connecticut 78
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