WASHINGTON — Cappie Pondexter had 30 points and 11 rebounds as the New York Liberty rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Washington Mystics 75-68 Sunday.
Nicole Powell scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth and Essence Carson added 15 points as New York (14-17) won its third straight. The Liberty began the day with a one-game lead over Chicago for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sky play at Phoenix later.
Jasmine Thomas scored 16 points and Monique Currie had 12 to lead the Washington (5-27), which has lost 11 straight.
Powell’s 3-pointer tied the score at 63 with 2:50 left and her short jumper gave the Liberty a 67-65 lead with 1:34 to play.
After a miss by Currie, Kara Braxton scored on a layup off a nice pass from Pondexter to make it 69-65 with 48 seconds left.
Matee Ajavon missed a short jumper and Pondexter hit two three throws. Thomas’s 3-pointer made it 71-68 with 19 seconds to go, but the Mystics got no closer.
Washington outscored New York 19-12 in the third quarter and built a five-point lead as the Liberty hit just 5-of-22 field goals.
Washington played without leading scorer Crystal Langhorne (14.7 ppg), who left Friday’s loss to Atlanta with a left foot sprain, and Noelle Quinn (6.5 ppg), out with an injured right shoulder.