The Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline is an unusual WNBA matchup because it spans two very different eras. The teams first met around the turn of the century, played a handful of games in the early 2000s, and then went their separate ways for more than two decades. In 2026, the matchup returned with a new Portland Fire franchise and immediately produced some memorable basketball.

The original Portland Fire entered the WNBA in 2000, the same season the Mystics were part of the league’s growing expansion era. Their first recorded meeting came on July 9, 2000, when Portland defeated Washington 75-58. The teams met again in 2001 and 2002, creating a short but notable early chapter in the series.

The modern chapter has been even more dramatic. On June 28, 2026, Washington defeated Portland 124-123 in four overtimes, tying the longest game in WNBA history. The teams then split their next two meetings, giving the Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline three very different games in one season.

Early Meetings Between Washington and Portland

The history of the Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline begins in 2000. Portland won the first meeting 75-58 on July 9, with Washington unable to keep pace on the road. Basketball-Reference records the game as one of the Mystics’ regular-season contests during their third WNBA season.

The teams met twice in 2001. Portland won the first encounter 69-58 on July 6, while Washington responded strongly on August 3 with a 64-50 home victory. That second game was particularly significant for the Mystics, who limited Portland star Jackie Stiles to seven points.

Their final meetings of the original era came in 2002. Portland won 72-66 in June before taking another close 67-65 victory in Washington in August. The latter game was decided by two points after a late Washington comeback fell short.

The original Portland Fire era ended after the 2002 season, when the franchise folded. That brought the first chapter of this matchup to an end and left the teams without another regular-season meeting for many years.

The 2026 Return Creates a New Chapter

The Portland Fire returned to the WNBA in 2026 as an expansion franchise, giving the matchup a completely different context. The league’s 2026 schedule marked the return of Portland basketball and included the Fire among the new additions to the WNBA’s 30th-season landscape.

The first Washington-Portland meeting of the new era came on June 28. What followed was one of the most extraordinary games of the WNBA season.

Washington eventually won 124-123 after four overtime periods. The game lasted three hours and 35 minutes, featured 21 ties and 12 lead changes, and became only the second four-overtime game in WNBA history.

Sonia Citron led Washington with 32 points, while Michaela Onyenwere scored 30 and Kiki Iriafen added 27. Portland’s Carla Leite also scored 32 points and hit a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

Citron then delivered the decisive basket late in the fourth overtime, putting Washington ahead to stay with 21.4 seconds remaining. The result made the June meeting an instant landmark in the Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline.

Portland Responds in July

The second 2026 meeting showed just how quickly the story could change. On July 16, Portland returned to Washington and defeated the Mystics 75-56.

Instead of another close contest, the Fire controlled the game almost from the beginning. Portland led 28-13 after the first quarter and stretched its advantage to 43-20 during the second period. Washington struggled throughout, shooting just 29 percent from the field and making only two of 21 three-point attempts.

Carla Leite scored 14 points, while Serah Williams added 12 for Portland. Sarah Ashlee Barker contributed 10 points. Washington’s Shakira Austin led the Mystics with 19 points and nine rebounds, but the Fire’s defensive pressure and early lead proved too much to overcome.

The July result also gave Portland a measure of immediate response after losing the historic June thriller. Rather than another overtime battle, the Fire produced a comfortable road victory.

August Brings Another Close Finish

The third meeting of the 2026 season arrived on August 23 at Portland’s Moda Center. This time, Washington came away with a 105-100 victory.

Portland started strongly and built a 14-point advantage during the second quarter. Washington responded with a major rally, eventually turning the game around and surviving a late push from the Fire.

Shakira Austin produced a career-high 31 points and 10 rebounds for Washington. Kiki Iriafen added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Sonia Citron finished with 14 points and six assists. For Portland, Leite recorded 27 points and 11 assists, while Emily Engstler posted 23 points.

The closing minutes were particularly tense. Portland cut the deficit to two points with just over three minutes remaining, but Washington answered with key plays before Georgia Amoore’s two free throws with 4.2 seconds left helped secure the 105-100 win.

Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire Timeline at a Glance

The complete series shows a striking progression:

• July 9, 2000: Portland Fire 75, Washington Mystics 58.
• July 6, 2001: Portland Fire 69, Washington Mystics 58.
• August 3, 2001: Washington Mystics 64, Portland Fire 50.
• June 28, 2002: Portland Fire 72, Washington Mystics 66.
• August 2, 2002: Portland Fire 67, Washington Mystics 65.
• June 28, 2026: Washington Mystics 124, Portland Fire 123, 4OT.
• July 16, 2026: Portland Fire 75, Washington Mystics 56.
• August 23, 2026: Washington Mystics 105, Portland Fire 100.

That record makes the series easy to follow while also showing how different the two eras have been. StatMuse lists Washington with a 2-5 record against the Fire across the seven meetings in its historical dataset.

Why the Series Stands Out

The appeal of this matchup isn’t simply the number of games. It’s the contrast between them.

The early meetings belong to the original Portland Fire, a franchise that existed from 2000 through 2002. The 2026 games, meanwhile, feature a new Portland team and a new generation of players. That makes the series more of a historical connection than a continuous rivalry.

The June 2026 contest changed the conversation, however. A four-overtime game that ended 124-123 is the kind of result that immediately becomes part of league history. The following July and August meetings then added two completely different chapters: a decisive Portland win followed by a Washington comeback victory.

For anyone following the Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline, the 2026 season therefore provides the clearest picture of how this matchup has evolved. It began with a short series in the early WNBA years and returned more than two decades later with three games that produced very different stories.

Conclusion

The Washington Mystics vs Portland Fire timeline stretches from the original Portland franchise’s 2000 debut to an extraordinary three-game series in 2026. The early meetings produced competitive results before Portland’s first era ended in 2002.

More than 20 years later, the revived matchup immediately delivered a four-overtime classic, followed by a decisive Portland victory and another close Washington win. That combination has given this unusual WNBA series a fresh identity and plenty of historical context for future meetings.

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FAQs

When did the Washington Mystics and Portland Fire first meet?
The first recorded meeting was July 9, 2000, when the Portland Fire defeated the Washington Mystics 75-58.

How many times did Washington and Portland meet in 2026?
They met three times during the 2026 regular season: June 28, July 16 and August 23.

What happened in the June 28, 2026 game?
Washington defeated Portland 124-123 after four overtimes, tying the WNBA record for the longest game.

Who won the July 16, 2026 matchup?
Portland won 75-56 in Washington, controlling the game from the opening quarter.

Who won the August 23, 2026 game?
Washington defeated Portland 105-100 at Moda Center. Shakira Austin scored a career-high 31 points for the Mystics.

6. When did the original Portland Fire franchise end?
The original Portland Fire folded after the 2002 WNBA season.

What makes the 2026 series notable?
The three games featured a historic four-overtime thriller, a 19-point Portland victory and a five-point Washington comeback win, making the 2026 meetings unusually varied.