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  6. article_body => "<p>The Mystics reached their first WNBA Finals in franchise history in 2018&nbsp;but were swept by the&nbsp;Seattle Storm in the championship series.<\/p>\n<p>Elle Delle Donne -- who was recently named in WNBA.com's GM survey as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/elena-delle-donne-favorite-win-wnba-mvp-according-league-gms\">the favorite to win league MVP<\/a>&nbsp;--&nbsp;is back for her third season in Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Though <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/linzsports\/status\/1131969694947250181\">she is out for the opener<\/a>, Delle Donne <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wnba-finals-loss-only-more-fuel-elena-delle-donne-mystics-heading-2019-season\">believes the team<\/a> is ready to make another run at the title thanks to the&nbsp;return of All-Star forward Emma Meesseman.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier Friday, the Mystics&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mystics.wnba.com\/news\/mystics-set-final-roster\/\">announced<\/a>&nbsp;their final 12-woman roster for the 2019 season.&nbsp;Delle Donne and guard Kristi Toliver headline a team that&nbsp;includes nine returners from the 2018 team, as well as Meesseman, who played for the Mystics from 2013-17 but sat out in 2018 to focus on playing for the Belgian national team. The final roster spots went to WNBA rookies Kiara Leslie and Kim Mestdagh.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/wnba\/story\/_\/id\/26774007\/wnba-preseason-favorite-washington-mystics-2019-front-runner\">According to ESPN<\/a>, the Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces are the favorites to win the championship this season.<\/p>\n<p>The WNBA's 23rd season kicks of Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET when the Atlanta Dream host the Dallas Wings.<\/p>\n<h2>MYSTICS VS. SUN HOW TO WATCH<\/h2>\n<p>What: Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun, Regular Season Game 1<\/p>\n<p>Where: Mohegan Sun Arena,&nbsp;Uncasville, CT<\/p>\n<p>When: 7:30 p.m. ET<\/p>\n<p>Live Stream: You can live stream on WNBA's League Pass <a href=\"https:\/\/leaguepass.wnba.com\/\">website<\/a>&nbsp;by signing up for&nbsp;a free trial<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Don&#39;t miss a game \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udcfa\ud83d\udcf1\ud83d\udcbb<br><br>BROADCAST SCHEDULE &gt;&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Yp5L4uifel\">https:\/\/t.co\/Yp5L4uifel<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tqgHVrGpva\">pic.twitter.com\/tqgHVrGpva<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WashMystics\/status\/1131908429482790912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 24, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p><em>NBC Sports Washington will be broadcasting 10 Mystics home games during the 2019 WNBA season. For the full regular season&nbsp;schedule, click&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/other-sports\/mystics-2019-schedule-washington-starts-season-against-semi-final-foes\">here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE MYSTICS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kristi Toliver:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/kristi-toliver-takes-lessons-learned-wizards-job-mystics-push-wnba-title\">Taking&nbsp;lessons&nbsp;from Wizards job into Mystics' push for WNBA title<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Training Camp Roster:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/other-sports\/2019-mystics-training-camp-roster-emma-meesseman-returns-after-missing-2018-season\">Meesseman back in the fold after missing 2018 season<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>New Face:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/2019-wnba-draft-mystics-select-nc-states-kiara-leslie\">Mystics picked&nbsp;Kiara Leslie in 2019 WNBA Draft<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div class=\"video-filter art19-player-iframe\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/699721b3-e735-466d-ba23-f02d0d6b6893\/episodes\/67dfb823-a554-48df-8e64-a2f9ac976034\/embed?theme=light-blue\" width=\"100%\" height=\"250px\" class=\"video-filter video-art19 vf-699721b3e735466dba23f02d0d6b6893 vf-67dfb823a55448df8e64a2f9ac976034embed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Art19 Player\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\n"
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Wizards

Wizards

The Mystics reached their first WNBA Finals in franchise history in 2018 but were swept by the Seattle Storm in the championship series.

Elle Delle Donne -- who was recently named in WNBA.com's GM survey as the favorite to win league MVP -- is back for her third season in Washington.

Though she is out for the opener, Delle Donne believes the team is ready to make another run at the title thanks to the return of All-Star forward Emma Meesseman. 

Earlier Friday, the Mystics announced their final 12-woman roster for the 2019 season. Delle Donne and guard Kristi Toliver headline a team that includes nine returners from the 2018 team, as well as Meesseman, who played for the Mystics from 2013-17 but sat out in 2018 to focus on playing for the Belgian national team. The final roster spots went to WNBA rookies Kiara Leslie and Kim Mestdagh.

According to ESPN, the Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces are the favorites to win the championship this season.

The WNBA's 23rd season kicks of Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET when the Atlanta Dream host the Dallas Wings.

MYSTICS VS. SUN HOW TO WATCH

What: Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun, Regular Season Game 1

 

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

Live Stream: You can live stream on WNBA's League Pass website by signing up for a free trial

NBC Sports Washington will be broadcasting 10 Mystics home games during the 2019 WNBA season. For the full regular season schedule, click here.

MORE MYSTICS NEWS: