Liberty clinch WNBA's top playoff by defeating Mystics

Liberty at Top

The New York Liberty guaranteed the WNBA's top playoff seed and home-court advantage throughout the postseason with an 81-70 victory over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

The Liberty clinched the top seed with two regular-season games remaining. New York improved to 22-10 while Washington dropped to 20-12.

The Liberty will open the playoffs at home on Aug. 17 or 18. Their opponent will be determined by the results of the final week of the regular season.

Sabrina leads Liberty

Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Natasha Howard added 19 points and nine rebounds, and Betnijah Laney scored 15 points.

Elena Delle Donne led the Mystics with 18 points. Myisha Hines-Allen added 15 points, and Erica Wheeler scored 14.

The Liberty led by just four points at halftime, but they pulled away in the third quarter. New York outscored Washington 26-15 in the third, taking a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.

The Mystics never got closer than eight points in the fourth quarter. The Liberty closed out the game with a 10-0 run to seal the victory.

The Liberty have won four straight games and are 9-1 in their last 10.

The Mystics have lost two straight games and are 4-6 in their last 10.