WNBA: New York Liberty keep regular play as Minnesota Lynx surge

Simply over three weeks stay within the 2024 WNBA common season, leaving each workforce with 10 to 12 video games to play. The New York Liberty, Connecticut Solar and Minnesota Lynx have clinched a spot within the postseason, that means 5 spots are up for grabs.

Forward of the season’s closing, vital stretch, right here’s how Swish Attraction energy ranks all 12 groups primarily based on how they’ve carried out for the reason that Olympic break and the way we count on them to carry out by the rest of the common season:

1. New York Liberty

Photograph by Bruce Bennett/Getty Pictures

Document: 25-5; 4-1 since Olympic break

After profitable their first 4 video games for the reason that resumption of play, the New York Liberty fell to the Connecticut Solar on Saturday. But, the loss seems like a mere blemish for a Liberty workforce that’s cultivating resiliency. The workforce has persevered by Sabrina Ionescu lacking two video games with a neck damage, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton remaining sidelined after a knee process and Leonie Fiebich enjoying although damage, on prime of the truth that Ionescu, Fiebich, Nyara Sabally and Breanna Stewart performed in Paris. In flip, the workforce has not been the highly-efficient offensive machine that they’re their finest, as an alternative counting on their protection—a league-best 86.7 defensive ranking for the reason that Olympic break—to grind their approach to wins. This adaptability ought to repay within the postseason.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Photograph by Ian Maule/Getty Pictures

Document: 22-8; 5-0 since Olympic break

Earlier than the Olympic break, one might categorize the Minnesota Lynx as a “cute story,” an overachieving workforce that, finally, wouldn’t have the mettle or muster to compete with true title contenders. The Lynx, absolutely, have disabused any doubters. They’re for actual. Minnesota has come out of the break blazing, highlighted by a two-straight wins over the Las Vegas Aces—in Vegas—by a mixed 24 factors. Because the season restarted, they’ve the league’s finest internet ranking at 16.5, powered by their league-leading offensive ranking of 113.5.

3. Connecticut Solar

Photograph by Chris Marion/NBAE through Getty Pictures

Document: 22-7; 4-1 since Olympic break

Did the Connecticut Solar get their most necessary win of the season on Saturday evening? The Solar hadn’t overwhelmed the Liberty since July 2022, dropping seven in a row to New York. On Saturday, Connecticut broke the streak in Barclays, with new addition Marina Mabrey displaying how she will elevate the Solar’s ceiling by main the workforce with 15 factors from off the bench, together with six rebounds and 4 assists. The league’s finest protection held down New York’s league-leading offense, whereas getting simply sufficient offense themselves to flee with a victory. Can that method carry Connecticut to the franchise’s first title?

4. Seattle Storm

Photograph by Scott Taetsch/Getty Pictures

Document: 18-10; 1-2 since Olympic break

The Seattle Storm appeared located to surge out of the Olympic break. Whereas Jewell Loyd, Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb competed in Paris, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith remained stateside, suggesting that the well-rested, Olympic-caliber vets could be prepared to guide their workforce to statement-making wins. As a substitute, Seattle opened with two-straight losses, let down by their previously fiercesome defensive. These losses might have raised actual concern concerning the Storm’s postseason viability, however profitable the Gabby Williams sweepstakes silences any such suppositions. Though she has but to go well with up, count on Williams’ two-way tenacity to re-stabilize the Storm.

5. Las Vegas Aces

Photograph by Ian Maule/Getty Pictures

Document: 18-11; 2-3 since Olympic break

The Las Vegas Aces have earned each good thing about the doubt. The reminiscence of Recreation 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, when A’ja Wilson willed her depleted squad to a second-straight title, remains to be too contemporary to write down off the back-to-back defending champs. And but, it’s onerous to not deduce that the problem of three-peating in Olympic yr, all whereas the group is beneath scrutiny for a number of alleged violations, is perhaps an excessive amount of. In hopes of serving to her workforce rediscover their championship type, head coach Becky Hammon has begun experimenting with the beginning lineup, giving each Alysha Clark and Megan Gustafson a glance with the primary 5.

6. Indiana Fever

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Document: 13-16; 2-1 since Olympic break

Many analysts and followers alike believed the Indiana Fever have been poised to profit from the Olympic break. After a tough begin to a much-hyped season, it was envisioned that the younger squad would regroup and refresh earlier than rounding into the workforce it was believed they might be after they drafted Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 decide within the 2024 draft. Offensively-explosive victories over the Mercury and Storm proved such prognostications prescient. Nevertheless, a loss to Lynx means that, when the photographs will not be falling, the Fever have but to determine the inspiration essential to persistently compete with the league’s hardest groups.

7. Phoenix Mercury

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Document: 16-14; 3-2 since Olympic break

The Phoenix Mercury proceed to frustrate. In some video games, reminiscent of their post-break opener in opposition to the Chicago Sky, they give the impression of being unbeatable. There’s the dominance of Brittney Griner, the explosiveness of Kahleah Copper and the depth of Natasha Cloud, all topped by a dose of throwback Diana Taurasi. In different video games, reminiscent of subsequent losses to the Fever and Atlanta Dream, all that’s absent, with the Mercury apparently unable to entry, a lot much less amplify, their strengths. That inconsistency suggests it’s unlikely that they safe homecourt benefit within the playoffs; on the identical time, no opponent ought to need to meet a model of Phoenix that has, lastly, figured all of it out.

8. Atlanta Dream

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Document: 10-18; 3-1 since Olympic break

Was the Atlanta Dream’s nightmarish slumber of a season briefly interrupted? Or, have they absolutely woke up, ready to make a push for the playoffs? We’ll see. Their three-game profitable streak, with all victories over high quality opponents, demonstrated that the Dream have the potential to be a workforce that’s larger than the sum of its components. The presence of Jordin Canada, specifically, has made issues click on into place on each ends of the ground. Because the break, Atlanta has the league’s fifth-best offense and fourth-best protection, giving them a constructive internet ranking of 6.2. That contrasts with a season-long internet ranking of -5.5. That 11.7-point swing, nevertheless, raises doubts concerning the sustainably of the re-engerized Dream.

9. Chicago Sky

Photograph by Barry Gossage/NBAE through Getty Pictures

Document: 11-18; 1-3 since Olympic break

The Chicago Sky will not be going to win with class or effectivity. It should all the time be scrap within the Windy Metropolis, with each ounce of effort required to earn a constructive consequence. They’re one of many poorest taking pictures groups within the league, with their teamwide 3-point taking pictures share hovering round 27 % since play resumed. Offensive rebounding, led by the precocious prolificness of Angel Reese, is how the Sky try and make lemonade out of lemons on the offensive finish. That’s a troublesome approach to get by—or get into the playoffs—in an more and more offensively-focused WNBA. Particularly if the workforce doesn’t tighten up on the defensive finish. Their season-long defensive ranking of 101.3 has spiked to 105.3 in August.

10. Dallas Wings

Photograph by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE through Getty Pictures

Document: 6-22; 1-3 since Olympic break

Satou Sabally is again, however the Unicorn has not solved the Dallas Wings’ woes. The opening of Dallas’ post-break schedule, nevertheless, didn’t do them any favors, with a sport in opposition to Connecticut adopted by a two-game set in New York. The Liberty locked down the Wings, holding them to 71 and 74 factors. The opposite finish of the ground additionally has remained a difficulty; Dallas has the league’s leakiest protection, with a defensive ranking of 117.0 of their 4 video games in August in comparison with a league-worst full-season mark of 110.5. It seems like this can be a misplaced season in Dallas, indicating lottery positioning, reasonably than a playoff push, might outline their closing video games.

11. Washington Mystics

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Document: 7-22; 1-3 since Olympic break

Are the Washington Mystics executing an ideal tank season? Whereas it won’t be the place the workforce needs to be, Washington has been clear-eyed about their station, recognizing that the mix of offseason departures and in-season accidents would make it troublesome for workforce to contend for a playoff spot. These absences have opened prolonged alternatives for the likes of Aaliyah Edwards, Julie Vanloo and Jade Melbourne. But, this reliance on gamers with restricted WNBA expertise has not resulted in uncompetitive—and thus uninformative—losses; as an alternative, the Mystics have been aggressive in most contests, difficult opponents for not less than three quarters earlier than fading down the stretch. Will they be rewarded for his or her sportsmanlike struggles with the No. 1 decide within the 2025 WNBA Draft?

12. Los Angeles Sparks

Document: 6-23; 0-6 since Olympic break

The Los Angeles Sparks’ eyes are on 2025. (See the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Wings.) Not solely did the group not too long ago lengthen the contracts of Azurá Stevens and Steph Talbot, however, on the courtroom, alternative and experimentation have taken precedence over any win-now technique. Because the Olympic break, 9 Sparks have performed not less than quarter-hour per sport, led by Rickea Jackson’s 32.3 minutes. Jackson, as Eric Nemchock not too long ago analyzed, additionally has been absolutely empowered on the offensive finish, main the workforce in discipline aim makes an attempt within the month of August. Regardless of the loss, she was sensational on Sunday, scoring a career-high 25 factors. LA simply has to hope their give attention to 2025 will embrace a co-star for Jackson through the No. 1 decide within the 2025 draft.