Mystics vs. Dream final score: Tina Charles’ 26 leads Washington to 82-74 win

The Washington Mystics (11-18) defeated the Atlanta Dream (7-22) on Friday night at the Entertainment and Sports Arena to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Tina Charles had a dominant game, scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds while Natasha Cloud added 13 points and 6 assists. Theresa Plaisance added 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists off the bench. Washington’s biggest run came in the second quarter when they shot 52.6 percent from the field to help them head into a 40-34 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Mystics were able to gradually extend their lead to double digits, but it wasn’t because of hot shooting. In fact, Washington shot under 40 percent from the field while Atlanta shot 45 in that half. Rather, it was because the Mystics made 10-of-12 free throws (15-of-19 for the game) while the Dream didn’t attempt a single free throw themselves.

Courtney Williams led Atlanta with 23 points.

With tonights win, the Mystics are tied once again with the New York Liberty for the No. 8 seed in the WNBA playoffs. New York will play the Dallas Wings tomorrow on the road at 8 p.m. ET where a Liberty loss will bump the Mystics into sole possession of the No. 8 seed, at least temporarily.

But for now, the most important thing for the Mystics is to win their next game. That’s on Sunday when they take on the Chicago Sky on the road. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. ET.