The Washington Mystics edged the Detroit Shock at The Palace, 65-63, this afternoon.

Interestingly, Mystics coach Michael Adams used a starting lineup of Alana Beard, Stacey Dales-Schuman, Chamique Holdsclaw, Aiysha Smith, and Nakia Sanford (lighting a fire under Chasity Melvin, one supposes). For the majority of the game, however, the lineup was this:
PG - Beard
SG - Dales-Schuman
SF- Holdsclaw
PF - Smith/Murriel Page
C - Melvin

Beard is not a point guard (she is a shooting guard who is a good passer and can handle, but she does not have a point guard mentality), yet she responded with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists. Mique had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, but shot only 5-19 from the floor. Melvin had 10 points, while Dales-Schuman had 8 points 3 rebounds, and 3 assists (SDS, incidentally, is another shooting guard who is a good passer). Expect to see a lot of this lineup. As for point guard Tamicha Jackson, check the boxscore: DNP-CD.

As for Detroit, the defending WNBA champion is 1-3. Teams are forcing Detroit to execute in the halfcourt and are limiting fast break opportunities for the Shock. Detroit has a very young squad, but they must execute better in halfcourt sets to repeat as league champion. Another area of concern is Detroit's three-point shooting, as opponents are making over double the amount of threes as the Shock. This is where the departure of Kedra Holland-Corn hurts the most.