The No. 5 seed Washington Mystics host the No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 WNBAplayoffs on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Washington looks to avoid elimination and even the series after Atlanta took a 1-0 lead on Sunday, Sept. 27. The Dream rolled past the Mystics with a 92-77 comeback win
. After being down 41-36 at halftime, Atlanta outscored Washington 56-36 in the second half.Dream guard Rhyne Howard led the charge with 26 points, five steals and a block. Atlanta had four more players in double digits, including Angel Reese, who got her first playoff double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and DeWanna Bonner, who had 13 off the bench.
"The next (game) will be harder than this one," Howard said. "They're gonna
wanna come out with more aggression. They're gonna wanna fight a little bit hard because it will be their season on the line. Not ours.
"What we did in the first half, we can't have another half like that ever. ... (We) wanna make sure that we put them away early. There's not a team that you can just play around with."
In Game 1, the Mystics had three players in double figures including Sonia Citron with 25 points, six assists and two blocks. Shakira Austin (12 points, 16 rebounds) and Kiki Iriafen (15 points, 14 rebounds) both contributed with double-doubles.
"It's just that elevation of understanding the moment, and being locked in," Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson said postgame. "I'm sitting beside (Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron). It's their first playoff game. There's a lot of good stuff out there. So it's just exciting. We're disappointed about the loss, but I'm excited to take this first step forward with Kiki and Sonia and our whole group."
USA TODAY Sports is providing full live coverage of Wednesday's WNBA playoff matchup between the Dream and Mystics. Here is what you need to know.
What time is the Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics game?
06:07 AM ET, September 30 2026The Mystics host the Dream at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C.
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 30
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: CareFirst Arena (Washington, D.C.)
What TV channel is the Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics game on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming options: ESPN app
2026 WNBA playoffs bracket
06:07 AM ET, September 30 20262026 WNBA playoffs referees
06:00 AM ET, September 30 2026The 20 referees assigned to the postseason include 17 on-court officials and three alternates.
Here are the game officials assigned to the 2026 WNBA playoffs:
Congratulations to the 20 WNBA Referees selected for the 2026 @WNBA Playoffs 🏀🏆
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) September 25, 2026
Playoffs officials are selected by the WNBA Referee Operations management team based on key criteria assessed throughout the season including: WNBA Referee Operations grades and rankings,… pic.twitter.com/VYHmLtmAOF
No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream roster
06:00 AM ET, September 30 2026Head coach: Karl Smesko
No. 5 seed Washington Mystics roster
Head coach: Sydney Johnson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dream vs. Mystics live updates: Time, TV for Game 2 in WNBA playoffs
