The Washington Mystics stellar season continues with both head coach Mike Thibault and forward Elena Delle Donne receiving WNBA honors for the month of August. Thibault was named Coach of the Month for the second time this year and Delle Donne is Eastern Conference Player of the Month for the third consecutive time.
Under Thibault’s leadership, Washington posted a league-best 9-2 record and clinched the first playoff spot of the 2019 season while reaching the best record in franchise history. In August, Washington went on a six-game winning streak and defeated the defending champion Seattle Storm, the Minnesota Lynx, the Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty.
In August, Washington averaged 92.6 points per game (ppg), shot 48 percent from the field and 91.3 percent from the free-throw line while averaging 22.0 assists per game (apg). Mystics opponents averaged 77.5 ppg, 18.9 apg and shot 42.9 percent from the field.
Additionally, Delle Donne was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for the third consecutive time this season. She led the Mystics to a 9-2 record during the month of August. During that span, Washington had a six-game winning streak which included convincing wins against the Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks.
Delle Donne also averaged 20.5 ppg and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 98.3% from the free-throw line. Against the defending champion Seattle Storm, Delle Donne recorded 29 points and 13 rebounds. In the Aug. 11 contest against the Minnesota Lynx, she added another double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Delle Donne tallied her third double-double of the month with 25 points and 10 rebounds against the New York Liberty on Aug. 25.
Washington (24-8) will close out the regular season with home games against the Dallas Wings (10-21) on Sept. 6 and the Chicago Sky (19-13) on Sept. 8 for Fan Appreciation Night.