Just some weeks stay within the WNBA common season and the playoff push has produced some thrilling motion. Every workforce has fewer than 10 video games remaining, and 10 of the league’s 13 groups are inside attain of a playoff spot. And whereas the Minnesota Lynx — who formally clinched a playoff spot earlier this month — have opened up an enormous lead within the race for the No. 1 seed, each different seed stays up for grabs.
On Sunday, the Seattle Storm snuck previous the Washington Mystics for his or her third win in a row because of a Nneka Ogwumike buzzer beater and climbed into sixth place. The Golden State Valkyries additionally simply dealt with the Dallas Wings to finish their three-game shedding streak, whereas Napheesa Collier returned to motion to assist the Lynx cruise previous the Indiana Fever, who dropped to eighth place after their sixth loss in eight video games.
WATCH: Nneka Ogwumike’s buzzer beater provides Storm an enormous win over Mystics in WNBA playoff race
Jack Maloney
The motion will proceed Monday with two extra video games:
As a reminder, the highest eight groups make the playoffs, no matter convention. From there, they’re positioned into a normal eight-team bracket. The primary spherical of the playoffs is a best-of-three, whereas the semifinals are a best-of-five and the Finals, as of this season, are a best-of-seven.
The common season will conclude on Sept. 11 and the playoffs start on Sept. 14. The final attainable Finals date is Oct. 19.
Standings
- Minnesota Lynx (30-7) — Clinched playoff berth
- Atlanta Dream (24-13)
- Las Vegas Aces (24-14)
- Phoenix Mercury (22-14)
- New York Liberty (22-15)
- Seattle Storm (20-18)
- Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
- Indiana Fever (19-18)
- Los Angeles Sparks (17-18)
- Washington Mystics (16-22)
- Connecticut Solar (9-27) — Eradicated from playoff competition
- Chicago Sky (9-27) — Eradicated from playoff competition
- Dallas Wings (9-29) — Eradicated from playoff competition
Notice: Two-team ties are determined first by head-to-head document after which, if vital, by higher document towards .500+ groups. Ties between greater than two groups are decided by the mixed head-to-head document towards the opposite groups.
Lynx operating away with No. 1 seed
Napheesa Collier returned to motion Sunday and picked up proper the place she left off with a 32-point effort in a cushty win over the Fever. The Lynx grew to become the primary workforce to succeed in 30 wins this season and tied the franchise document for wins in a season.
Napheesa Collier damage replace: Lynx star, WNBA MVP favourite goes off for 32 factors in return
Jack Maloney
Dream keep maintain on No. 2 seed forward of red-hot Aces
- 2. Atlanta Dream (24-13)
- 3. Las Vegas Aces (24-14)
- 4. Phoenix Mercury (22-14)
- 5. New York Liberty (22-15)
The Dream simply took care of the shorthanded Liberty on Saturday, which was their ninth win of their final 11 video games. That allowed them to take care of their maintain on the No. 2 seed forward of the red-hot Aces, who beat the Mystics for his or her tenth win in a row. The Liberty, who’ve misplaced 4 of their final 5, are actually in fifth place and prone to not even having homecourt benefit within the first spherical.
Mystics fading as 4 groups battle for ultimate three spots
- 6. Seattle Storm (20-18)
- 7. Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
- 8. Indiana Fever (19-18)
- 9. Los Angeles Sparks (17-18)
- 10. Washington Mystics (16-22)
The underside half of the playoff image has tightened, and there are actually simply 1½ video games separating the Storm in sixth from the Sparks in ninth. The Storm beat the Mystics on a buzzer beater Sunday, whereas the Valkyries took care of the Wings and the Fever misplaced to the Lynx. These outcomes meant the Storm jumped into sixth, the Valkyries jumped into seventh and the Fever fell all the way in which to eighth.
The Mystics had been proper within the combine per week in the past, however have now misplaced 4 video games in a row to fall 3½ video games behind the eighth-place Fever. That is most likely too huge of a spot for them to make up at this level.
Lottery certain
- 11. Connecticut Solar (9-27)
- 12. Chicago Sky (9-27)
- 13. Dallas Wings (9-29)
This season has been a catastrophe for all three of those groups. The Sky have been beset by accidents, the Wings’ offseason strikes did not pan out and the Solar had been by no means going to be good after their offseason departures. All of them are actually formally lottery certain, however solely the Wings management their very own decide.
The Sky owe their first to the Lynx, whereas the Solar owe the Sky swap rights to their first rounder. The Sky additionally personal Mercury’s first rounder, so the Sky will get the extra favorable of the Solar/Mercury picks, whereas the Solar will get the least favorable of these choices.
