2002 Washington Mystics season

The 2002 WNBA season was the fifth for the Washington Mystics. This was the first time in franchise history (and, until 2017, the only) that the Mystics won a playoff series.

2002 Washington Mystics season
CoachMarianne Stanley
ArenaMCI Center
Attendance16,202 per game
Results
Record17–15 (.531)
Place3rd (East)
Playoff finishLost Conference Finals

None of Washington's "big four" teams would accomplish the feat of reaching the semifinals in their respective leagues until the Washington Capitals won their first Stanley Cup, with the only trips to the semifinals between Capitals' Stanley Cups being this season and 2017 for the Mystics.

Offseason

WNBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
First round3rd pick overallStacey Dales-Schuman  Canada
First round4th pick overallAsjha JonesForward  United StatesUniversity of Connecticut
Third Round33rd pick overallLaNisha Cartwell
Third Round36th pick overallTeresa Geter

[1]

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern ConferenceWLPCTConf.GB
New York Liberty x1814.56311–10
Charlotte Sting x1814.56312–9
Washington Mystics x1715.53112–91.0
Indiana Fever x1616.50012–92.0
Orlando Miracle o1616.50013–82.0
Miami Sol o1517.46911–103.0
Cleveland Rockers o1022.3127–148.0
Detroit Shock o923.2816–159.0

Season schedule

DateOpponentScoreResultRecord
June 1Orlando93-82Win1-0
June 3@ Phoenix65-71Loss1-1
June 4@ Utah97-89Win2-1
June 7Indiana89-68Win3-1
June 9Miami76-67Win4-1
June 13Houston70-64Win5-1
June 14@ Cleveland69-63Win6-1
June 18Detroit75-67Win7-1
June 19@ Charlotte64-78Loss7-2
June 21@ Miami65-60Win8-2
June 23Cleveland63-45Win9-2
June 25@ Sacramento87-86 (OT)Win10-2
June 27@ Los Angeles69-73Loss10-3
June 28@ Portland66-72Loss10-4
June 30Charlotte56-55Win11-4
July 3@ Minnesota64-63Win12-4
July 6@ Indiana45-50Loss12-5
July 8@ Orlando63-51Win13-5
July 9Phoenix68-54Win14-5
July 13New York53-67Loss14-6
July 18Detroit63-59Win15-6
July 20Utah73-83Loss15-7
July 25@ Detroit58-64Loss15-8
July 27Seattle71-80Loss15-9
July 30Orlando55-70Loss15-10
August 2Portland65-67Loss15-11
August 4@ Miami50-55Loss15-12
August 6Indiana55-64Loss15-13
August 8@ New York65-54Win16-13
August 9New York66-74Loss16-14
August 11@ Cleveland60-54Win17-14
August 13@ Charlotte57-67Loss17-15
August 15 (first round, G1)Charlotte74-62Win1-0
August 17 (first round, G2)@ Charlotte62-59Win2-0
August 22 (East Finals, G1)New York79-74Win3-0
August 24 (East Finals, G2)@ New York79-96Loss3-1
August 25 (East Finals, G3)@ New York57-64Loss3-2

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average

Playoffs

  • Won WNBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (2-0) over Charlotte Sting
  • Lost WNBA Eastern Conference Finals (2-1) to New York Liberty

Awards and honors

References