Number 1 and Counting.

There's never been a day like today in Mystics history. Here we are, on the final day of the WNBA regular season, and the Mystics have the incredibly exciting, first-time-ever, opportunity to finish at the top of their Conference. What they have to do to accomplish that is beat the 4th place Dream in Atlanta at 3 PM.

And that won't be easy, but the Mystics (to use that well-worn, but accurate, cliché) control their own destiny . . . and that's a great situation to be in!

While we hate to contemplate any other outcome, we've wondered (and fans have asked us): what if the Mystics don't win? Well, the Eastern Conference is so still so bunched up, the outcome of today's games could result in the Mystics finishing the day in first . . . or in second . . . or even in third place.

With one game remaining, Washington, New York, and Indy have identical W-L records, 21-12, with the Mystics holding the tie-break over those two rivals. (At 19-14, the Dream are in 4th place and cannot move up today.) Although the league's tie-break rules are a bit complicated, here's our take on how things could shake out for the Mystics when the final buzzer sounds later today on the regular season:

1. (Our favorite scenario.) If the Mystics beat the Dream this afternoon, Washington clinches the number one spot in the East no matter what happens to the Libs and the Fever in their games.

2. (Our consolation prize scenario.) If Washington, New York and Indy all lose, the three teams will finish tied at 21-13, and the Mystics will still finish in first place.

3. (Our least favorite scenario.) If the Mystics lose and the Libs and the Fever both win, Washington will drop to third in the East (and lose home court advantage.)

4. (Our "well, we still get home court" scenario.) If the Mystics lose, and either New York loses and Indy wins, or Indy loses and New York wins, then Washington will finish second.

Obviously, what the Mystics and their fans hope for this afternoon is a good old fashioned "W" against Atlanta (none of this nerve-wracking "what-if" stuff). A win and the Mystics finish first and are guaranteed home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. That would be uncomplicated . . . historic . . . and amazing!

Go Mystics . . . Beat the Dream (and finish first)!

[By the way, the game won't televised, but we'll be watching on Live Access!]