Field Level Media
24 Jun 2021, 03:25 GMT+10
Tina Charles is on a roll, and so are the Washington Mystics.
Charles had 34 points, 16 rebounds and five assists to lead the Mystics (7-6) to their fifth victory in six games when they defeated host Seattle 87-83 on Tuesday.
"I don't think I've ever seen (Charles) as dominant as she was today," Mystics guard Shavonte Zellous said.
Charles will try to continue her dominance when the Mystics visit the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night.
"Tina's playing the same she's played all year, terrific, but I think she's even taken it up a notch," Mystics coach Mike Thibault said, "just willing herself to carry this team a little bit."
Leilani Mitchell scored 19 points and Ariel Atkins and Theresa Plaisance had 10 each for the short-handed Mystics, who had just eight players available against the Storm.
"It's just the will to win," Charles said. "I think I'm just doing my job. I don't see that I'm doing anything different aside from playing smarter, being more selfless, sharing the ball, trusting my teammates more."
The Sparks (5-7) are coming off a 76-73 home loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday despite erasing a 14-point deficit to tie the score at the end of the third quarter.
"We didn't take advantage of what was given to us," Sparks coach Derek Fisher said.
Erica Wheeler had 20 points and 10 assists while Kristi Toliver and Nia Coffey scored 15 each, but Coffey missed a last-second 3-pointer that would have tied the score.
The Sparks forced 30 turnovers that turned into 37 points, but they couldn't sustain any consistent offense.
"I don't know how much more the defense can continue to do," Fisher said. "We have to be able to score the basketball, it's not because opportunities aren't there."
Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike are both sidelined by knee injuries and Bria Holmes left the game against New York in the first half because of calf tightness and didn't return.
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