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Washington Mystics heading home between WNBA playoff games against New York – The Associated Press
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FILE – New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Tuesday, May 30, 2023, in Seattle. Stewart finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. She helped New York secure the second best record in the league and Tuesday became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
Washington Mystics coach Eric Thibault calls out to players during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes (15) pulls down a rebound in front of Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) shoots next to Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
FILE – New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Tuesday, May 30, 2023, in Seattle. Stewart finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. She helped New York secure the second best record in the league and Tuesday became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
FILE – New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm, Tuesday, May 30, 2023, in Seattle. Stewart finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. She helped New York secure the second best record in the league and Tuesday became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
Washington Mystics coach Eric Thibault calls out to players during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Washington Mystics coach Eric Thibault calls out to players during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes (15) pulls down a rebound in front of Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes (15) pulls down a rebound in front of Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) shoots next to Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) shoots next to Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — The Washington Mystics can spend a few nights at home between games of their WNBA playoff series with the New York Liberty because of the expanded time between postseason games this season.
Washington plays New York on Friday night in the opener of their best-of-three series. Game 2 isn’t until Tuesday night, so the Mystics will bus home after the opener and won’t return to New York until Monday.
“It was a lot of nights to be here trapped in a hotel when you can get to go home and have a couple nights at home,” Mystics coach Eric Thibault said after shootaround Friday. “That was just the thought behind it. We have people that like being in their own beds. Myself included.”
The Mystics are the only playoff team in the first round that could easily head home between contests. Chicago plays in Las Vegas, Minnesota at Connecticut and Atlanta at Dallas. The three road teams would have to fly back and forth.
“It’s a lot of days to be here. We can get home tonight, get a couple extra days,” Thibault said. “Tomorrow we’ll get some treatment, shoot if you want to. We’ll have a couple extra days to prepare and come back up.”
In the past, there wasn’t as much time between games — with only three days between games in the opening round.
The players like the extra day and ability to go home.
“For any team, they’ll tell you it’s great to be able to go home and have that familiar feeling,” Mystics guard Brittney Sykes said. “To have your own food and not have to eat out is wonderful. All these other external factors you can eliminate by going home and be in your own space. It’s fortunate for us.”
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Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.