Mystics vs. Sparks preview: Washington heads West in hopes of handing LA their third straight loss

The Mystics (11-6) face off the Sparks (12-7) on the road tonight. Here’s a preview!

Game Info

When: Saturday July 7 at 7 p.m. EST

Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles

How to watch: WNBA League Pass | Monumental Sports Network (D.C) | Spectrum SportsNet (L.A.)

Injuries

Mystics: None to report

Sparks: Sydney Wiese (questionable), Riquna Williams (questionable)

Pregame Notes

Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike need to be contained

The last time both teams played each other on June 15^th, Parker went off with 23 points in her team’s 9-point win. She is leading her team with an average of 16.6 points and Nneka Ogwumike is right behind her with 16.1 points per game. Both players will score, it’s really a matter of how much. Don’t let Candace get hot because once she’s on, she’s on.

The Mystics cannot lose sight of the rest of the Sparks

Defense will be key in stopping the Sparks especially because we can truly only rely on Elena Delle Donne offensively to pilot her team. In their last meeting, Los Angeles had 6 players in double figures and as a team averaged 62.5% in field goals while the Mystics only averaged 44.9%. This is going to be an all hands on deck situation in the backcourt.

We need to see more #ToliverThings

There’s no winning without Kristi Toliver putting up numbers especially against a star studded Western Conference team. Toliver only scored 6 points the last time she played the Sparks, well under the 13.9 points per game she averages this season.

Of course, there have been many games where Toliver has set it off with her sharpshooting and hustle, but there’s also been plenty of games where the veteran just hasn’t delivered. Elena Delle Donne is the only player whom the Mystics can consistently count on each game which is concerning. It’s simple, but when Kristi Toliver is having a great game, her team is always in a better position to win.