Washington ? For Chamique Holdsclaw, it’s been a long time coming.

Four years after she became the most hyped No. 1 draft choice in the WNBA, Holdsclaw finally has a playoff victory. Her 26 points, 13 rebounds and five steals helped the Washington Mystics defeat the Charlotte Sting 74-62 Thursday in Game 1 of the WNBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals.

It was also the first playoff win in the Mystics’ five-year existence, ending a drought that seemed longer for veterans like Holdsclaw and Tausha Mills. Earlier Thursday, coach Marianne Stanley was awarded the league’s coach of the year.

The victory broke a six-game home losing streak for the third-seeded Mystics, who had lost nine of 11 overall to end the season.

Sparks 78, Storm 61

Seattle Lisa Leslie still had two straight losses to the Seattle Storm fresh in her mind.

She almost single-handedly made sure there wouldn’t be another, scoring her team’s first 13 points of the second half and finishing with 24 as Los Angeles defeated the Storm.