WNBA: What’s going to occur when the common season resumes?

The WNBA is again! Practically one month after an epic All-Star Sport, play resumes within the 2024 WNBA season on Thursday, Aug. 15, with 14 or 15 regular-season video games remaining for every crew.

As groups combat for playoff (or lottery) positioning over the ultimate stretch, right here’s what Swish Enchantment’s employees wish to see occur:

Demise of a dynasty?

Final yr, the Las Vegas Aces had an opportunity of ending the season with the most effective profitable share in WNBA historical past. This season, they’ve already misplaced extra regular-season video games than they did in 2023. They presently sit fifth within the standings.

The dominant juggernaut has disappeared, and the Aces all of the sudden look weak. Have they gotten higher? Do they appear like the most effective within the W? In the meantime, the New York Liberty look prepared, and the Connecticut Solar appear primed for a Finals run. A’ja Wilson remains to be the most effective participant, however this can be a crew sport, and if Kelsey Plum can’t be adequate defensively and Chelsea Grey doesn’t return to her Level Gawd ranges of play, the Aces’ run may finish with an elimination within the postseason.

As we enter the house stretch of the yr, how the Aces play might be a high precedence for me. I all the time need to see the most effective basketball potential, and while you watch the Aces play, they may both be the most effective or be crushed by a crew vying to grow to be the most effective. — Edwin Garcia

Photograph by David Becker/NBAE through Getty Photos

A powerful return for Satou Sabally

The Dallas Wings have had main damage points up to now in 2024, and Sabally’s absence is one that may simply be pointed to when in search of explanation why the Wings have underperformed (6-19; final place within the WNBA standings). Sabally has but to play this season; she suffered a shoulder damage that required surgical procedure over the winter and had been rehabbing as shortly as potential with the intention to play for Germany within the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Judging from Sabally’s Olympic efficiency, she needs to be good to go as soon as the Wings resume play. 2023’s Most Improved Participant flashed her standard versatility for the German nationwide crew, averaging 18.8 factors, 5.8 rebounds and two assists per sport, and most significantly, she appeared absolutely wholesome, which needed to be a reduction for a Dallas crew that has been missing wholesome our bodies and constant offensive manufacturing for almost all of the season. Sabally’s return to the lineup might be of the utmost significance to the Wings in the event that they’re going to climb out of the opening they’re in and sneak into the playoffs. — Eric Nemchock

Photograph by Cooper Neill/NBAE through Getty Photos

How about some extra trades?

In-season trades, a lot much less in-season trades of consequence, are uncommon within the WNBA. We’ve already had one commerce that might make an influence within the postseason, with the Connecticut Solar sending Moriah Jefferson, Rachel Banham and a future second-round decide to the Chicago Sky for Marina Mabrey. May we see a couple of extra influential transactions earlier than subsequent week’s commerce deadline of Tuesday, Aug. 20?

A number of groups which are “Paiging the No. 1 Decide” and “Beckoning Bueckers” have vets on expiring and/or unprotected contracts who might show helpful to groups with playoff ambitions. Sticking in Chicago, Brianna Turner, presently the fourth massive in head coach Teresa Weatherspoon’s rotation, might enhance a playoff-bound crew together with her off-the-bench defensive power. With the Los Angeles Sparks possible prioritizing growth over wins, Steph Talbot, an important piece for the bronze-winning Australian Opals on the Paris Olympics, might provide 3-point taking pictures for a profitable squad, whereas Layshia Clarendon may very well be a priceless backup level guard. Though the prospect of these gamers altering groups wouldn’t be league-shaking, every of them might assist a contender acquire marginal benefits that could be pivotal in what guarantees to be a hotly-contested postseason. — Cat Ariail

Photograph by Meg Oliphant/Getty Photos

The battle for playoff positioning

One of many issues that makes this end-of-season push so enjoyable is the battle for playoff positioning! Because the order of the standings instantly impacts playoff sequence matchups, groups are going to do all the pieces potential to place themselves in the most effective place.

It’s extremely thrilling when it will get to the previous few weeks of the common season and the standings are separated by one or two video games. A crew’s complete playoff path can rely upon how one sport seems! Homecourt benefit, given to the higher-seeded crew in each matchup, is one more reason to combat to climb the standings. Virtually sport finally ends up having implications, and it’s so attention-grabbing to take a look at the evening’s slate of video games and suppose, “Group X must beat Group Y, but when Group A beats Group B, that might harm Group X.” It turns into a sport inside the video games, attempting to do the maths and untangle all these varied eventualities.

To not point out the precise video games themselves! Gamers typically don’t concern themselves with the postseason ramifications of each sport; they simply concentrate on profitable. However when it comes all the way down to the wire, consciousness of the influence of each win or loss appears unavoidable. These large stakes make for a bodily sport, an intense power and a few massive moments. — Chelsea Leite

Photograph by Candice Ward/Getty Photos