Race to the No. 8 seed: Which playoff outsider is ready to break through?

The second half of the WNBA season is running full throttle after an exciting Olympic break and the eighth-seed race is not a foregone conclusion. If the WNBA playoffs started today, the Chicago Sky would face off against the New York Liberty.

But the playoffs don't begin until Sept. 22, which leaves plenty of time for teams outside the eighth seed to regain some ground and make the playoffs. Which team could provide the stiffest challenge for the Liberty or whoever controls the one seed when the postseason starts?

The Sky defeated the Liberty two times this season but the season series record favors New York, 3-2. The Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics, Dallas Wings, and Los Angeles Sparks have lost all their games to New York but it may not be the end of the world.

New York still has to fend off the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx to keep the top seed. Despite all four teams losing to New York this season, there is still a possibility for them to shake up the standings.

Here are teams that can make some noise in the playoffs and push the future No. 1 seed to the brink.

The Atlanta Dream are still alive

Atlanta is a team that people need to look out for because of their talent and overall roster depth. The Dream are underperforming and the season has not gone as expected. There are plenty of factors that tie into their current standing.

Last season, Rhyne Howard and company struggled to score in late-game situations. Defenses were able to hone in on her and force the supporting cast to score. During the offseason, the team added size, scoring, shooting, and rebounding. One factor that the team missed is Jordin Canada who has only played nine games this season and is still trying to get in game form.

Once Canada gets healthy, Haley Jones will come off the bench. Jones has improved her game but Canada distributes the ball and makes sure her teammates get the ball in their shooting pockets. Aerial Powers has also been in and out of the line-up due to injury.

Atlanta is a team that can match up with anyone but they lack late-game execution and consistency. However, veteran Tina Charles, who recently became second in all-time scoring is the calm veteran presence on the team.

Allisha Gray is a player who will impact games with her ability to slash to the rim or knock down open shots. She is a two-way player who can impact the game in multiple ways. Atlanta can match up with any team in the league and they will be a scary first-round opponent if they sneak into the eighth seed.

The Washington Mystics might be an illusion

Looks can be deceiving but that is not the case for the Mystics as they currently sit in the 10th seed with a 8-22 record. This team has spent most of the season trying to find their identity and get players healthy.

No one expects Washington to make noise but they are only a few games out from the eighth seed. The franchise doesn't have anything to lose which makes them dangerous and they have played top-ranked teams close this season.

Monday night, the Mystics defeated the Seattle Storm 74-72 in a last-minute finish. The Mystics have a solid starting lineup that features veteran Ariel Atkins, Brittney Sykes, Shakira Austin (when healthy), and Stefanie Dolson.

The Mystics need a lot of things to go in their favor to have a chance to secure the eighth seed but this team can shoot the 3 at a consistent clip, defend effectively with their length and execute from the charity stripe.

Washington is on a two-game winning streak and has plenty of time to turn it around in the last few weeks of the regular season. Not to mention, Chicago (L3) and Atlanta (L2) are on losing streaks of their own.

Are the Dallas Wings ready to fly?

The Wings are arguably one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 season. Last season, they finished with a 22-18 record, the best record in franchise history.

For most of the season, Dallas played without their rising star Satou Sabally due to injury and Olympic preparation. Arike Ogunbowale has had an amazing season thus far and is third in scoring (22.3) in the league. Unfortunately, the Wings have struggled to generate offense which causes Ogunbowale to overcompensate on the offensive end. Natasha Howard missed a good chunk of games with a broken foot which hasn't helped either.

In spite of all the adversity Dallas has faced this season, the team is only a few games outside of the eighth seed. One advantage that is overlooked is the Wings' ability to dominate the glass with the outstanding play of Teaira McCowan and Kalani Brown. They have helped secure the ball for second-chance points, or to push the pace in the fast break with an outlet pass. McCowan can alter shots when opponents drive to the basket, she can post up and score. She also runs the floor and converts on fast break layups.

Sabally hit the ground running and in four games is averaging 18 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals since her return. She is taking some of the offensive load off of Ogunbowale and is creating match-up nightmares for opponents with her speed and size. The Wings knocked off the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in a comeback win 93-90 at home. Last night's win proves that anything can happen in the WNBA.