5 most important games left on the WNBA schedule after World Cup Break ends

All eyes are on the FIBA World Cup, but we can't help but think about what's to come in the WNBA. When play returns on Thursday, September 17, all eight playoff squads will be scrambling to secure a favorable seed before the postseason kicks off on Sunday, September 27.

Minnesota is looking to keep its No. 1 spot, while New York, Washington and Dallas are all trying to avoid facing the Lynx in the first round. The Valkyries will make a last-ditch effort at the top seed, and the Aces and the Dream work to secure home-court advantage. There's a lot to look forward to; here are some of the most important games remaining in the WNBA regular season.

Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty

The Liberty and Lynx will return from the FIBA break to a potential future playoff matchup. These two squads also have more players competing in Berlin than any other postseason team — a potential blessing and a potential curse. There's likely no rust on them, as they've been playing at a high level for the past few weeks. But the FIBA schedule is pretty grueling; there's a good chance these players are exhausted.

Exhausted or not, this will be an important game to win for both New York and Minnesota. The season series is currently tied. The Liberty want to avoid falling any lower in the standings, and Minnesota wants to finish the season strong and secure the No. 1 seed.

The Lynx won the most recent matchup by only five points. If they want a more comfortable win, they'll need to limit turnovers and get more active in the paint; Minnesota gave up 27 points off turnovers in their recent meeting with the Liberty. Additionally, the last matchup was a 3-point shootout; the teams combined for 27 made 3-pointers. While the Lynx shoot better from beyond the arc, the Liberty average more made 3-pointers per game. If either team can force the other to go cold from beyond the arc, it could be enough to win.

Golden State Valkyries vs. Portland Fire

As we mentioned, the Valkyries are looking to steal that No. 1 seed from the Lynx. It's a tall task, but it's far from impossible. Minnesota has one of the toughest remaining schedules, while Golden State has one of the easiest. Their toughest remaining opponent is the Portland Fire, whom they will face off against twice. These two games will be worth watching if the Valkyries continue to inch towards that top spot.

The Valkyries currently lead the season series 2-0. While they've won both of those matchups by more than 15 points, the Fire have been known to pull out some unlikely wins. With Portland out of the playoffs, they might be looking to end their season with a couple more big victories.

In both previous meetings, the Fire struggled to keep up with the Valkyries in the paint, while falling victim to their dominant defense. If I'm Portland, my top priority will be getting hot from 3-point land. It's their biggest strength, and frankly, the only category they match the Valkyries in. The Fire sit third in average 3-pointers per game, while Golden State sits first. The Valkyries struggle offensively at times; if Portland can take advantage of that, these meetings could get interesting.

Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics

Of all the playoff teams, the Fever have the toughest remaining schedule. This is bad news as they're looking to break into the top four for home-court advantage. But this Mystics matchup is one they can win and would boost their confidence before facing the Lynx twice to close out the regular season. Meanwhile, the Mystics are looking to boost themselves away from the No. 8 position so they can avoid a first-round meeting with Minnesota.

This might be the most exciting, and up-in-the-air, matchup left in the regular season. The season series is currently tied, with both previous matchups ending in only two-point deficits for the losing squad. Indiana won the most recent meeting, 78-76. They beat the Mystics at their own game: rebounding and scoring in the paint. In the first matchup, a 104-102 Washington victory, the Mystics outscored the Fever 58-28 in the paint. In the second, the Fever kept up, outscoring the Mystics 34-32 in the paint.

With that being said, the objective is pretty simple: Washington needs to rely on Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen in the paint, while Indiana needs to keep up with that dominant duo.

New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream

The Dream currently holds the No. 4 seed, meaning they have the last home-court spot — they'd love to keep it, and two wins against the Liberty would do wonders for that goal. But much like the Mystics, New York is looking to avoid falling to the No. 8 seed.

The only time these two squads met this season was back in June. The Liberty claimed a 104-90 victory, but a lot has changed since then. Satou Sabally put up 19 points in that matchup. She has since been ruled out for the season. However, Sabrina Ionescu sat on the bench in the first matchup. She will be available this time around. The Dream have also acquired a new weapon: DeWanna Bonner.

New York washed Atlanta out in two big categories during their first meeting: 3-point shooting and free-throw efficiency. The Liberty drained 16 3-pointers, shooting at 52 percent. The Dream made nine 3-pointers, shooting at only 31 percent. Atlanta also struggled from the line, leaving 12 points off the board. Since June, the Dream have improved in both categories, but fans should still keep a close eye on them during these matchups.

Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever

The Lynx went into the FIBA break having lost their last two matchups. There's no doubt they're looking to finish the season strong — the biggest team in their way is the Indiana Fever, whom they will face twice to close out the regular season.

These squads have met once this season, on August 8, when the Lynx took home the 108-100 victory. The statistics of that matchup are nearly identical — making for two more incredible games that you'll want to tune in to. Each team drained 11 3-pointers at around the same shooting percentage. They also shot the same 11-of-15 from the free-throw line. While the Lynx outrebounded the Fever, both teams scored 46 points in the paint.

Minnesota won the game off turnovers, which have been Indiana's Achilles' heel all season. The Fever committed 12 turnovers, resulting in 15 points for the Lynx. I'd keep a close eye on how the Fever handle the basketball. But perhaps most importantly, I'd be watching for whose defense is going to step it up. You can still expect a high-scoring matchup, but there's a good chance we'll see these teams attempt to crack down on their defensive efforts.

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