Delle Donne returns and keep Mystics alive

Washington — Elena Delle Donne wasn't about to let a knee injury sideline her again with the Washington Mystics season at stake.

She had 15 points and 10 rebounds in her return from a bone bruise in her left knee and the Mystics forced a decisive Game 5 with a 97-76 win over the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA semifinal series.

Delle Donne started, played 34 minutes, sank 3 of 5 threepoint attempts and scored 11 points in the second half after sitting out Friday's 81-76 loss. She suffered the injury in the final minutes of Atlanta's 78-75 Game 2 victory.

"I would have killed coach (Mike Thibault) if he didn't let me play full out," Delle Donne said. "He knows. I gave him the look and he knew I was fully ready to go and wanted to be in there as much as I could."

The 2015 WNBA Most Valuable Player award winner sported a bulky brace on her left knee. She failed to score until less than four minutes remained in the first half, but her presence immediately helped open the floor for teammates. Washington shot 50 percent from the field overall and sank 12 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.

"Whether Delly is on crutches, it doesn't matter. If she's on the floor, they have to respect her and honor her," Kristi Toliver said. "That changes everything for everyone."

Toliver led the Mystics with 22 points as all five starters scored in double figures. Ariel Atkins scored 19 points, Natasha Cloud 13 and LaToya Sanders 10.

"Elena Delle Donne, she kind of sucks you in (defensively)," Dream guard Renee Montgomery said, "but they caught fire."

Tiffany Hayes, Montgomery, Brittney Sykes and Jessica Breland each scored 12 points for the Dream.

The series shifts back to Atlanta for the finale of the bestof-5 series on Tuesday. The Mystics have never reached the WNBA finals in the franchise's 21 seasons.

Atlanta remains one victory away from the franchise's fourth finals appearance.