Washington Mystics center-forward Shakira Austin will reportedly miss at least the first two games of the WNBA playoffs against the New York Liberty as she recovers from a hip injury that she reaggravated toward the end of the regular season, Mystics coach Eric Thibault said on Wednesday, according to Alexa Philippou of ESPN.

Eric Thibault said Mystics are evaluating test results before it makes any decision regarding Shakira Austin's return, according to Thibault.

The Mystics have given the Liberty some trouble this season, despite New York being viewed as one of the two teams most likely to make it to the WNBA Finals. The Mystics have multiple wins over the Liberty this season, and although some of those wins came early in the season while New York was still trying to mesh with all of the new star players joining the team, one of those wins came on the final day of the regular season, when the Mystics beat the Liberty 90-88 on the road.

It is a best-of-3 series in the first round between the Liberty and the Mystics, so that means that the Mystics could be eliminated before Austin has a chance to return, if they lose the first two games to the Liberty. However, Austin returning for a winner takes all Game 3 could be a game changer, especially with that being a home game for Washington.

If Washington can steal Game 1 or Game 2 on the road against the Liberty, it could give one of the favorites to win the title a real scare in round one.