Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The latest WNBA standings highlight the league's shifting playoff race following the trade deadline as teams gear up for the stretch run.
- Minnesota leads on a 10-game win streak, while Kelsey Plum scored 20 points in her debut to spark Phoenix's late postseason push.
- Plum's arrival revitalizes the Mercury's offense, potentially reshaping the bottom of the playoff bracket as contenders fight for positioning.
The WNBA playoff picture is looking the same as last week, but that could all change soon. The trade deadline came and went without much movement — but one of the relocated pieces, Kelsey Plum, is already doing her thing in Phoenix.
The Mercury have been a bottom-tier team for the majority of this season. And it will be a tall task to make the playoffs, but the addition of Plum is breathing a bit of hope into the Merc faithful this week.
Here are the current WNBA standings with only a couple of weeks left before another break. Plus, some key takeaways.
WNBA standings as of Aug. 5
TEAM | W-L (.PCT) | GAMES BACK | AVG. POINT DIFF |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Minnesota Lynx | 25-6 (.806) | --- | +9.3 |
2. Las Vegas Aces | 21-9 (.700) | 3.5 | +5.4 |
3. Golden State Valkyries | 21-9 (.700) | 3.5 | +5.8 |
4. Dallas Wings | 19-11 (.633) | 5.5 | +4.1 |
5. Indiana Fever | 19-11 (.633) | 5.5 | +5.8 |
6. Atlanta Dream | 18-11 (.621) | 6 | +3.2 |
7. New York Liberty | 18-13 (.581) | 7 | +2.4 |
8. Washington Mystics | 16-12 (.571) | 7.5 | -1.7 |
9. Los Angeles Sparks | 11-17 (.393) | 12.5 | -4.7 |
10. Phoenix Mercury | 12-19 (.387) | 13 | -3.0 |
11. Chicago Sky | 11-19 (.367) | 13.5 | -1.9 |
12. Portland Fire | 11-19 (.367) | 13.5 | -5.9 |
13. Toronto Tempo | 10-20 (.333) | 14.5 | -6.0 |
14. Connecticut Sun | 7-23 (.233) | 17.5 | -7.5 |
15. Seattle Storm | 6-26 (.188) | 19.5 | -5.6 |
A new and improved Phoenix squad
Kelsey Plum wasted no time getting on the court in her new threads. After not having played since June 21, she was available for the Mercury's first game back after the trade. She is still coming back from a leg injury that had kept her out for all of that time in Los Angeles, so she was on about a 20-minute restriction — but boy, did she make the most of it.
In the win over the Sky, Plum put up 20 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists in 21 minutes on the court. She shot 60.0 percent from the field, including three from deep. She seems truly excited to finish out the season in Phoenix, and I'm sure after that performance, her teammates are even more excited to have her.
The Merc are currently 5.5 games out of the playoff picture. Before Plum's arrival, Phoenix had won three of its four recent matchups. Then, the second Plum stepped off the plane, the future got a little brighter. Tonight, they'll face the Atlanta Dream — this is a massive test for this new Phoenix squad. I'd expect Plum to play a little more and as she gets more comfortable in this new system, she'll only get scarier.
Minnesota separated itself a little further
It's been looking like we're going to get a three-way face-off between the Lynx, the Aces and the Valkyries for the top spot. Well, this past week, Minnesota set itself apart while Vegas and Golden State took a couple of big hits.
The Lynx are on a ten-game winning streak — their longest since 2016. The Aces dropped an unexpected game to the Chicago Sky. While A'ja Wilson had a 36-point performance, there was little to no bench production and Chelsea Gray struggled from 3-point land. The Valkyries also suffered a surprising loss to the Mercury. Gabby Williams being unavailable due to injury, combined with great nights from both Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, just didn't work out well for the Valks. Both the Valkyries and the Aces are now 3.5 games back from that No. 1 spot and the Lynx are still sitting pretty.
On Saturday, we'll get another rendition of Las Vegas vs. Minnesota. This will not only be one of the most intriguing matchups of the week but also could be the Aces' chance to get back into striking distance of that top spot. These squads faced off back in mid-June when Las Vegas handed Minnesota a 100-97 loss. Napheesa Collier in the lineup could be huge for this Lynx squad that's looking to even up the season series.
How can Washington hang on to a playoff spot?
The Mystics grabbed that No. 8 spot and haven't let go. There hasn't been much competition, as they've been winning out and a lot of teams below them simply haven't. However, Washington is one of two teams that have played the fewest games so far this season — which means they have the most opportunity to make mistakes and lose that playoff spot.
They have 12 games left before the FIBA break. Of those, five are against teams in the top five. While they need to give it their all in those five games — and their recent four-game winning streak is an incredible start — there are some more important bottom-tier opponents they need to overcome to really plant their feet in the playoff picture.
The Sparks, the Mercury and possibly even the Sky are the biggest threats to the Mystics' playoff hopes. Luckily, or unluckily, Washington will face off against both Los Angeles and Chicago twice more before the end of the season. The Mystics and the Mercury still have to play their entire season series. While Washington will use these games to separate themselves, I am positive the recently upgraded Phoenix Mercury have those matchups circled as their final chance to push their way into the playoffs.
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