Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
Tonight the Washington Mystics had the unthinkable happen, Elena Delle Donne exits the game the first quarter with back spasms and doesn’t even touch the scorers sheet. The difference? Huge for the Mystics and big for the Sun as they took advantage of EDD out of the line-up and secured a Game 2 victory with a 99-87 victory.
After the game Mystics guard Kristi Toliver was asked if she know Elena would not be returning and that the would have to play the entire game without her? “We don’t even know where Delle is right now, so we had to make some adjustments before Game 3. We know how do that, we have been a few games without her before, said Toliver.
The Sun who just could not find the answers for a balanced scoring act on Sunday, got lots from Jonquel Jones, who scored 32 points and had 18 rebounds in a dominating performance.
Alyssa Thomas played all 40 minutes again tonight added 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Courtney Williams had 22 points for the Sun, who dominated the paint after the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne departed in the first quarter with the spasms.
The Mystics MVP, and their rock in the line-up averaged 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds coming into the Finfals, will have an MRI Wednesday.
“She’s just had, kind of ongoing, late-in-the-season tightness,” said Mystics coach Mike Thibault. “We’ve been able to treat it and it’s responded pretty well. But it’s the one nightmare I’ve had the last month, is seeing her lying on her back.”
