Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Four WNBA games tip off Friday night, highlighted by an unexpected showdown between two surprise contenders — the Fire and Dream.
- The Fire have exceeded all expectations with three straight wins while the Dream legitimate title aspirations despite recent shooting struggles.
- The late-night matchup could define early season legitimacy for both rosters — and determine which surprise story gains full control of the narrative.
Friday, May 29 features a four-game slate of WNBA action, headlined by a meeting that you probably didn't have circled on your radar coming into the year — the surprisingly competitive Portland Fire host the Atlanta Dream.
But before that game tips off, three other games make up the early slate. You can catch all the action on either ION or League Pass, and trust me: picking which early game to watch won't be easy.
WNBA games for Friday, May 29
MATCHUP | TIME | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|
Mercury vs. Liberty | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION/League Pass |
Sparks vs. Mystics | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION/League Pass |
Lynx vs. Sky | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION/League Pass |
Dream vs, Fire | 10:00 p.m. ET | ION/League Pass |
Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty
The 4-4 New York Liberty host the 2-6 Phoenix Mercury in a game that looked a lot more compelling a few weeks ago, before the Mercury got off to such a bad start to the season.
New York is also off to a rough start, but the talent is there for it to be turned around, even if injuries have slowed the team down and there are still fit concerns about Satou Sabally.
This is the second meeting this week of these teams, with New York winning the first one 84-74 despite Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu both missing the game. Ionescu has already been ruled out for Friday's game, but Sabally is off the injury report. Could we get a Sabally revenge game against her former team?
Las Angeles Sparks at Washington Mystics
Both of these teams come in at 3-3 on the season, and while it's far too early to call any game a "must win," I do think if either team has serious playoff hopes, this is one it will look back on by the end of the season as either a "whew, we needed that win" or a "ugh, we really ended up losing that one?
The Sparks have won two in a row, including a big upset of the Aces last time out. The team's also had some time to rest up, as this is its first game since May 23. Kelsey Plum is out, though, and that might be a big issue here, as she's really been the team's primary scoring source, including 38 in the win over Vegas.
Washington is coming off a win over the Storm. The Mystics have struggled offensively this year, but the defense is playing solidly. Getting Michaela Onyenwere on the floor has helped fill the team's huge hole at small forward, but there's still limited depth there and Onyenwere isn't the long-term answer.
Minnesota Lynx at Chicago Sky
An injury-riddled Chicago Sky team plays host to the Minnesota Lynx, who came into this season with one goal: survive long enough that you can make a playoff push once Napheesa Collier returns.
Turns out, Minnesota might not even need Collier. JK. But the Lynx are 5-2, thanks in large part to how good Olivia Miles has played out of the gate. It's still wild that a championship-caliber team got to draft a player as good as Miles. How did that happen?
Oh yeah, because Chicago traded that pick so it could draft Hailey Van Lith last year. Uhh...not great! Chicago is in a weird limbo right now because the team signed Skylar Diggins this offseason, but the injuries to the rest of the team have limited the ability for Chicago to actually win games. Losing Rickea Jackson for the season hasn't helped.
Atlanta Dream at Portland Fire
Most people viewed the Portland Fire as contenders to finish the 2026 season with the league's worst record coming into the season. The roster felt like a collection of upside players who might be part of the team's future bench rotation, but it seemed to lack the stars needed to win in this league.
Well...Portland is now 5-3 after winning three games in a row. Carla Leite has shown that she can be a starting WNBA point guard and the team is getting strong play from basically everyone. Sarah Ashlee Barker has had a chance to shine. Bridget Carleton has stepped into a larger role and is succeeding.
But this will be a huge test. The Atlanta Dream are 4-2 and look like one of the WNBA's best teams, a true title contender. Sure, the team is coming off a 15-point loss to Minnesota and there are concerns about the team's lack of 3-point shooting, but this is a very talented roster. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray in the backcourt with Angel Reese up front? Hard to find many trios better than that. This is the kind of matchup where you look at the rosters ahead of time and assume Atlanta runs away with it, but will that be the case?
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