Mystics Making Overdue Run In Crowded WNBA East

The Mystics recently turned in their best all-around effort of the year after a morning tipoff and their performance vaulted them from third to a tie for first - a place Washington hasn't been this late in the season in eight years.

It's been that kind of season in the WNBA's Eastern Conference, where no team has a losing record and only three games separated top from bottom going into Thursday's games.

"It's going to go down to the wire," said veteran guard Katie Smith, who had six points and five assists in Wednesday's 82-72 victory over the Atlanta Dream. "It's going to be pretty wild for the fans. The games are going to be so tough because everybody's fighting for their lives."

It can make a player's head spin trying to keep up with the daily standings flux, but the Mystics are more than happy to have a role in it. The franchise that hasn't accomplished much of anything in its 13-year WNBA existence finally seems to have its act together.

"All the pieces," said swingman Marissa Coleman, "are coming together at the right time."

Even though all the pieces aren't there. The Mystics' best player, Alana Beard, had ankle surgery before the start of the season and won't play this year. While her teammates were in the locker room discussing the win over the Dream, Beard was in the trainer's room going through her rehab.

But the Mystics have survived Beard's loss because they finally have a cohesive organizational game plan, led by their own version of Dr. J. The upswing began with team president and part-owner Shelia Johnson's infamous rant in August 2008, when she declared that the franchise hadn't "moved one ounce" in its history and that she "might as well shut down" the team if doesn't start winning.

She then hired a new general manager, Angela Taylor, and a new coach. Longtime college and WNBA assistant Julie Plank became the 11th Mystics coach in 13 seasons, a genuine article compared to some of the gimmicky hires of the past.

Plank took Washington to the playoffs last year - albeit with a 16-18 record - and Wednesday's win improved this year's record to 13-7 and the first-place tie, at least temporarily, with the Indiana Fever. The last time the Mystics were in first place this late in the season was on July 30, 2002.

"Having an owner like Dr. J, she's come in and totally just put her foot down and turned a lot of things around," Beard said. "She's passionate about it. This is something she cares about. To win it for her, you can't put it into words what it would mean. She's done a great job putting people in place. We have a coach that's come in and really understands what it takes."

Majority owner Ted Leonsis promotes the Mystics on his blog, noting that the team's commitment to build with youth through the draft takes a page out of the same philosophy he used to turn the NHL's Washington Capitals into perennial contenders.

"A rebuild plan that seems to be working again, eh?" Leonsis posted after Wednesday's win.

But Leonsis is concerned about empty seats at the Verizon Center. The Mystics remain one of the top-drawing teams in the league, but their average of 9,250 is 20 percent down from last year. Ironically, this comes in the same year that Leonsis took down the large, much-derided "WNBA ATTENDANCE CHAMPIONS" banners from the Verizon Center rafters.

"I must confess ... I am surprised and a bit disappointed that more people aren't coming to the games," Leonsis wrote this week in a blog entry that read more like a commercial. "This is a great brand of basketball. Prices are very affordable. The games are fun and quite competitive. The women are stellar athletes. It is a great value for families. Come on out to a game."