The Connecticut Sun famously don’t have a star. They actually have multiple stars. Facing elimination against a spectacular Mystics team, Jonquel Jones continued to dominant inside and Alyssa Thomas ran a beautiful offense as the Sun survived another day with a thrilling 90-86 win. The Mystics fought hard, coming back from 18 down by scoring at will in the third quarter (10-17 shooting), but couldn’t finish the season.
The Sun isn’t setting just yet
We have that and more in Wednesday’s basketball newsletter.
Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images
The pivotal play was Aerial Powers’ opportunity to put the Mystics up with 27 seconds to go. She missed a three, the Sun grabbed the board and Washington had to foul down one. It’s notable that the shot went to Powers instead of Elena Delle Donne, but that’s the Mystics’ style and really how Game 4 played out: no heroine ball here.
Game 5 — the two best words in women’s basketball! — is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Meanwhile ...
Ben Simmons hit his first NBA three-pointer. In a preseason blowout against a Chinese league team. Philadelphia celebrated it like a championship or Gritty’s birthday (occasions of equal importance).
Links
If you’re a TrueHoop subscriber, you probably already know that Henry Abbott’s 10 questions about the China imbroglio is important stuff. The Ringer’s Brian Phillips did a characteristically smart angle, as well. Ben Thompson on China’s culture clash. Chris Mannix gives Adam Silver credit for his second take on sharing the NBA’s position. We have a tracker with the latest updates going.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that sources indicate there’s a real chance the Lakers and Nets’ two games in China this week will be cancelled. It’s worth noting the Chinese teams currently in the United States are having no schedule changes.
Dave McMenamin has the closest thing to a tick-tock of the long Anthony Davis to the Lakers trade as I fear we’ll ever get.
We have had two important nutmegs early in preseason. Resident nutmeg guru Zito Madu sings their praises.
Congratulations to my friends The Starters aka The Basketball Jones aka No Dunks.
Dan Devine on the Magic version of Markelle Fultz.
Kevin Durant has logged on ... and sparked a Twitter war between the Knicks and Nets fandoms, of course. I thought I couldn’t wait for Durant to get back on the court, but it turns out that maybe I can.
Be excellent to each other.
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