Dream to face Mystics in first-round playoff series beginning Sunday

The playoffs are set, and the Dream are the No. 4 seed and will face the fifth-seeded Washington Mystics in the first round in a best-of-three series.

Game 1 is Sunday at State Farm Arena, and the Dream will look to advance after falling last season in three games to the Fever. There was a chance for a series rematch against their rival, but Indiana lost Thursday, and coupled with Washington’s win, the Fever fell to the sixth seed and the Mystics moved up to fifth.

The schedule hasn’t been finalized, but Game 2 will be in Washington, and, if there’s a Game 3 needed, it will be back at State Farm Arena.

Atlanta is looking to turn things around and make a playoff run after another 30-game season and the addition of All-Star Angel Reese. The Dream finished the regular season with five straight wins, including back-to-back victories on the road over the Liberty.

“That was an important win for us,” coach Karl Smesko said after Wednesday’s win. “We wanted to make sure we got homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, and we were able to accomplish that.”

Washington also finished the season strong, with four straight wins after the break for the FIBA World Cup. The Mystics will look to carry that momentum into Atlanta.

“I think we feel very ready. And between now and Sunday, I think we have to be intentional about getting recovery, resting, mentally preparing and just getting ready,” Mystics guard Sonia Citron said.

The Dream are 1-2 against Washington, but also have a 15-7 record at home. Washington is 13-9 on the road.

Both teams share a lot of similarities, with the key being their defensive units propelling their offenses.

Reese has been the league’s rebounding star, but the Mystics lead the league in rebounds as a team, averaging 37.6 per game, with the Dream trailing closely behind at 35.6.

Atlanta won the first matchup of the season, in June, and the Mystics won the past two meetings, spearheaded by leading scorer Shakira Austin.

In Washington’s win over the Chicago Sky on Thursday night, Austin went to the locker room in the fourth quarter after a hard fall, but it’s unclear if that will affect her availability.

Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said the team expects Austin to be with them heading into Sunday.