Four of the eight WNBA playoff teams will return to action tonight after the FIBA break. Each is looking to either maintain or rise into a favorable seeding position. The Indiana Fever want to claim one of the top four spots to secure home-court advantage — a victory tonight against the Toronto Tempo would inch them closer. The Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty will face off in what is one of the most important remaining games in the regular season. The night will close with a West Coast matchup between the Golden State Valkyries and Portland Fire.
Here's everything you need to know about tonight's WNBA action.
WNBA schedule for Sept. 18
MATCHUP | TIME | HOW TO WATCH |
|---|---|---|
Tempo vs. Fever | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION |
Lynx vs. Liberty | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION |
Valkyries vs. Fire | 10:00 p.m. ET | ION |
Toronto Tempo vs. Indiana Fever
What to know: To be frank, Indiana should run away with this one. They aren't one of the teams being thrown in the deep end with an immediate matchup against a playoff team. This game will help them get back in the swing of things after the FIBA break before they face the Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx to close out the regular season.
This Tempo squad is bruised and battered, to say the least. Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes and Aneesah Morrow have all been shut down for the season. Obviously, this puts a damper on Toronto's production. Indiana has already beaten Toronto twice this season in high-scoring affairs. As long as nothing crazy happens, this game should be Indy's to lose.
Players to watch: Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are always the players to watch when the Fever hit the floor. They're both still MVP-hopefuls — it will be interesting to see how they look returning from the break. For Toronto, keep an eye on rookie Kiki Rice. She has scored in double figures in her last nine games. She'll likely be a top producer for the Tempo tonight.
Injury report:
- Toronto Tempo:Â MarÃa Conde (QUESTIONABLE), Marina Mabrey (OUT), Brittney Sykes (OUT), Aneesah Morrow (OUT)
- Indiana Fever:Â Caitlin Clark (PROBABLE)
Prediction: The Fever will win against a depleted Tempo squad.
Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty
What to know: This will be the game of the night, possibly even the game of the week. The season series between these two squads is tied. The first meeting ended in a 99-86 victory for the Liberty, but the Lynx took a 90-85 win in the second matchup.
There were 27 total 3-pointers made between the two teams in their most recent matchups. The Lynx shot slightly better; they also had far more trips to the free-throw line. Those factors helped them win. The Liberty, on the other hand, capitalized on Minnesota's turnovers and won the paint battle. These are all things to keep your eyes on tonight.
Players to watch: Napheesa Collier has yet to play against the Liberty this season. I'll be watching her tonight, especially as the Lynx look to win the battle in the paint. For the Liberty, Marine Johannès could be key. She put up 14 points, shooting 4-of-9 from the 3-point range in the most recent matchup.
Injury report:
- Minnesota Lynx:Â Anastasiia Olairi Kosu (OUT)
- New York Liberty:Â None
Prediction: The Liberty might keep things close, but the Lynx have returned from the break on a mission and will get the victory tonight.
Golden State Valkyries vs. Portland Fire
What to know: The Valkyries are the obvious favorite to win this one. The Portland Fire also just played a game last night, in which they lost 94-91 to the Phoenix Mercury. Facing a very tough Golden State defense on a back-to-back is likely one of the toughest scenarios across the league — especially when the Valks have already beaten the Fire by 15+ point margins twice this season.
The last meeting between these two was right before the FIBA break. The Fire shot only 39 percent, while the Valkyries shot almost 50 percent from the field. Portland will need to step up their defense tonight and force Golden State to take tough shots.
Players to watch: Emily Engstler had a big night last night against the Mercury. She put up 21 points and shot 5-of-8 from 3-point land. She'll likely need to bring that same energy tonight. There isn't necessarily one player to keep your eyes on for Golden State. But with both starter Gabby Williams and Sixth Player of the Year frontrunner Janelle Salaün out tonight, the Valkyries' bench will be very important. They're already the best bench in the league; tonight will just be another opportunity to prove it.
Injury report:
- Golden State Valkyries: Gabby Williams (OUT), Janelle Salaün (OUT), Cecilia Zandalasini (QUESTIONABLE)
- (Latest) Portland Fire:Â Bridget Carleton (QUESTIONABLE), Megan DiLeo (QUESTIONABLE), Carla Leite (QUESTIONABLE), Teja Oblak (QUESTIONABLE)
Prediction: The Valkyries will pull out a comfortable win tonight.
Add us as a preferred source on Google