WNBA games today: Lynx and Valkyries meet again

There are three games on deck around the WNBA on Friday night, June 19. Each duel tonight will be a rematch of prior games — most of which ended in single-digit deficits. We'll get to watch as two of the top teams in the league try to further cement themselves as real contenders, while a couple of others try to bounce back from losing streaks.

Here's everything you need to know about tonight's WNBA games.

WNBA games for Friday, June 19

Toronto Tempo at Connecticut Sun

The first matchup between Toronto and Connecticut turned out to be one of the most entertaining matchups of the season thus far. After a back-and-forth battle, the Tempo pulled out a 106-102 overtime win. However, the landscape will look a little different tonight.

Toronto is currently on a three-game losing streak, the most recent of which resulted in the loss of their highest-scoring player. Brittney Sykes, who averages 20.1 points per game, went down with a foot injury against the Fever and will not be available tonight against Connecticut. The Tempo are also down another guard in Kiki Rice, who is still recovering from an ankle sprain. This will put a lot of weight on the shoulders of Marina Mabrey and Julie Allemand.

While Connecticut's record tells one story, its potential tells another. When this team meshes and works in unison, they're really not that bad. They have the individual pieces to succeed, especially with Aneesah Morrow, who was not available in the first matchup but will be on Friday. The Tempo will be looking to turn things around, even without their star. But they know that if they want to keep competing for a playoff spot, they can't play dead until Sykes comes back — so don't expect them to.

Washington Mystics at New York Liberty

This will be the third and final regular-season matchup between New York and Washington. The most recent just came on Sunday, June 14, when the Liberty secured an 86-64 victory. Their first matchup of the season was a much closer battle, with New York only winning by five points in overtime. The Mystics will be looking to channel more of that energy tonight.

While Washington can expect guard Sonia Citron to show up every night, she'll likely need extra production from players like Cotie McMahon and Georgia Amoore on Friday. The Mystics' frontcourt is where the Liberty will likely take advantage: Kiki Iriafen will make her return after spending the last few games on the sidelines due to injury, but her frontcourt partner, Shakira Austin, is listed as questionable. If Austin is unavailable, Lauren Betts will likely get the start. She's been showing more comfort in her last few appearances, averaging 11.7 points per game over the Mystics' last three matchups.

However, the frontcourt of Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones could easily be the best in the league, averaging a combined 33.9 points per game. They held Austin and Betts to 8 and 4 points, respectively, in the last matchup. The Liberty have the fifth-best net rating in the WNBA, while the Mystics hold the fifth-worst. Tonight will be a battle for this young Washington squad.

Minnesota Lynx at Golden State Valkyries

This has the potential to be the most entertaining matchup of the night, if not the entire week. These two squads last faced off on June 4, when the Lynx managed to pull out the 87-84 win. We can likely expect another thriller tonight.

Minnesota leads the league with their defensive rating, just ahead of Golden State. The Valkyries will need to lean heavily into their defense tonight, because the Lynx also have the best offense in the league. Their guards, Olivia Miles and Courtney Williams, will take advantage of every opportunity or mistake they are given. They combined for 45 points in the first matchup between these two squads. Miles went nuclear from 3-point land, setting a new rookie record with eight makes from long distance.

Both teams will be looking to win the turnover battle, play at their pace and slow down or eliminate the other's 3-point shooting. The Valkyries have quick and efficient shooters of their own: In the first matchup, Cecilia Zandalasini and Janelle Salaun combined for nine 3s. If they play top-tier defense, specifically inside the 3-point line where Minnesota thrives, the Valkyries could even up this season series.

WNBA schedule through the weekend

Saturday, June 20 - Sunday, June 21

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