The Washington Mystics announced on Tuesday that second-year center Shakira Austin will miss at least the next three weeks after an MRI revealed a hip strain. Considering the way Austin went down in the team's overtime loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday, that's about as good of news as the Mystics could have hoped for.
Early in the fourth quarter, Austin jumped into the passing lane and tipped away a pass from Sabrina Ionescu. As she tried to chase down the loose ball, she stumbled, then collapsed and grabbed for her hamstring. After staying down on the floor for an extended period of time in what appeared to be severe pain, Austin was carried back to the locker room.
Thankfully, Austin's scary fall wasn't as bad as initially feared. But even though she and the team avoided a worst case scenario, an extended absence from their rising star will strain the team's struggling offense to the limit.
With more than a quarter of the season gone, the Mystics have established themselves as an elite defensive unit. In Ariel Atkins, Natasha Cloud and Brittney Sykes, they boast three of the four backcourt honorees from last season's All-Defensive teams, and Austin and Elena Delle Donne help shut down the paint. They are first in defensive rating, allowing 91.6 points per possession, first in opponent field goal percentage (39.6), first in opponent points in the paint (30.5) and first in opponent turnover percentage (20.7).
They'll miss Austin's length, activity and rebounding on that side of the ball, but they have the infrastructure to excel without her. The same cannot be said on the other side of the ball, which has been a disaster. Despite their incredible defense, the Mystics are sitting in fourth place at 8-5 because they cannot score.
Now, a team that ranks 11th in offensive rating (95.6), cannot generate easy baskets, doesn't crash the offensive glass or get second-chance points and can't score in the paint is going to lose its second-leading scorer and one of its most efficient player.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Austin was enjoying a breakout season. She won MVP of the Israeli league during the winter, and came back with increased confidence. Outside of Elena Delle Donne, Austin has been the Mystics' most consistent offensive performer: 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds on 50.4% shooting. She's scored in double-figures in nine of the team's 13 games, and the ones she hasn't are mostly a result of not getting enough touches.
Though she's still not a jump shooter, Austin is a highly efficient scorer around the basket: at the rim she shoots 66.7% and scores 1.21 points per possession. She gets those baskets in all sorts of ways: running in transition, crashing the glass and rolling to the basket. She's also improving as a ballhandler, and her athleticism and ability to put the ball on the floor is a tough wrinkle for opponents to deal with.
In addition to losing Austin's versatility, the Mystics will be without one of their few sources of "cheap" or "easy" points. Here's a look at where Austin ranks in key categories:
| Category | Total | Team rank |
|---|---|---|
Points in the paint | 114 | 1st |
Offensive rebounds | 21 | 1st |
Second chance points | 22 | 2nd |
Points off turnovers | 45 | T-1st |
If there's any silver lining for the Mystics, it's that the All-Star break is coming up and the Connecticut Sun are the only top-three team they have to play until a meeting with the Liberty on July 21. Austin could very well be back by then depending on how her recovery goes.
Still, the Mystics are going to have a tough time replacing Austin's production on offense, which highlights not only her development, but the rest of the team's disappointing start on that side of the ball.
