After more than three months of electrifying basketball action in the regular season of the WNBA, it’s time for the playoffs. The Seattle Storm is set to host the Washington Mystics for Game 1 of the first round of the postseason tonight. It has been an amazing journey for the Storm this year.
With consistent contributions from players like Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, Seattle comfortably qualified for the playoffs. Although they faced a loss in the last game against the Aces, the Storm would surely back themselves to dominate the Mystics in the playoff opener.
The story for the Washington Mystics in the current tournament is almost similar. They looked in good touch from the beginning of the regular season. Elena Delle Donne and Ariel Atkins have been some of the leading contributors to the Mystics till now.
They ended their regular season with two back-to-back wins against the Fever. With the first 2 of the 3 games of Round 1 scheduled at the Storm’s home arena of the Climate Pledge, Washington needs to be at their absolute best from the first game.
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Odds
| Platform | Storm | Mystics | Predicted Winner |
| FiveThirtyEight | 70% | 30% | Storm |
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Recent Form
The Seattle Storm has performed consistently well this year. They finished the regular season at 22-14 in the second position of the Western Conference. Seattle has won 3 of the last 5 fixtures. They have maintained an excellent home record of 13-5 so far. The Storm’s last game ended with a 100-109 defeat to the Las Vegas Aces.
The Washington Mystics had a similar campaign. They also finished the regular season at 22-14 in the third position of the Eastern Conference. Washington got 3 wins from the last 5 games. Their away record stands at 10-8 as of now in the current season. The Mystics won their last fixture against the Indiana Fever with a score of 95-83.
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Head to Head
Both these teams have met 37 times so far in the WNBA. The Seattle Storm has dominated in the past as they won 24 games, while the Washington Mystics have got 13 wins. If we talk about the last 5 fixtures, 4 games were won by Seattle and only 1 by Washington.
The previous meeting took place this season on 31 July 2022. The Washington Mystics won that exciting game with a score of 78-75.
Also read: LeBron James finalizes a two-year $97.1M extension with the Lakers.
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Best Picks
Elena Delle Donne
Elena is extremely talented. Appearing 6 times in the WNBA All-Star team, 2x WNBA MVP and former WNBA Champion, she’s been adorned with laurels.
She’s having an incredible season as well, averaging 19.9 points per game, paired with 6.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists. She’s an excellent mid-range shooter, is capable of slashing through defense with her layups and has an incredible 3-pt range.
Breanna Stewart
The 27 year old Breanna Stewart power forward is a gem in the Storm lineup. With fantastic 3-pt shooting skills, she’s also paired with an incredible defense. Stewart is talented with in-the-paint shooting as well and is able to score with deep hooks and layups.
The two-time WNBA champion is having a very consistent and productive season, averaging 21.2 points, 2.7 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. With a 45.5% field goal percentage, she is one of the top picks of this matchup.
Sue Bird
Seattle Storm Point Guard Sue Bird is a very successful 3-pt facilitator. With her excellent playmaking abilities, she can weave through the opposition defense and set up assists for shots beyond the arc. Along with that, she’s an excellent outside scorer herself.
She’s averaging a solid 10 points per game, paired up with 5.8 assists and 1.7 rebounds this season.
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Possible Lineup
Seattle Storm: Guard- Guard- Jewell Loyd | Sue Bird | Forward- Breanna Stewart | Forward- Gabby Williams | Center- Tina Charles
Washington Mystics: Guard- Ariel Atkins | Guard- Natasha Cloud | Forward- Alysha Clarke | Forward- Elena Delle Donne | Center– Shakira Austin
Also read: NBA 2022-23 season schedule.
Washington Mystics vs Seattle Storm: Winner
Both teams need to prepare for a new set of challenges in the playoffs. The side that handles pressure moments well is expected to be on the winning side. The Seattle Storm is having the home advantage for the upcoming game tonight.
On the other hand, the Washington Mystics will hope for a complete team performance against the Storm and put the hosts on the back foot by winning Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs. All the predictions and betting platforms are favoring the Storm for this fixture.
