This time last week, only three WNBA teams had secured their postseason tickets. Now, all eight spots are spoken for. The league will head into its FIBA World Cup break in just a few days. When action returns on Thursday, September 17, it will be a mad dash between all eight squads to secure seeds.
Can the Valkyries steal the No. 1 spot from the Lynx? Who has the easiest schedule and best opportunity to climb up the rankings before it's too late? Only time will tell. But for now, here's a look at the current WNBA standings. Plus a few key takeaways from the week.
WNBA standings as of Aug. 26
TEAM | W-L (PCT) | GAMES BACK | AVG. POINT DIFF. |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Minnesota Lynx | 31-8 (.795) | --- | +8.3 |
2. Golden State Valkyries | 26-11 (.703) | 4 | +6.2 |
3. Las Vegas Aces | 26-13 (.667) | 5 | +3.6 |
4. Atlanta Dream | 25-13 (.658) | 5.5 | +5.7 |
5. Indiana Fever | 25-14 (.641) | 6 | +5.7 |
6. New York Liberty | 23-15 (.605) | 7.5 | +3.1 |
7. Washington Mystics | 23-15 (.605) | 7.5 | -0.3 |
8. Dallas Wings | 23-16 (.590) | 8 | +3.1 |
9. Portland Fire | 15-23 (.395) | 15.5 | -4.7 |
10. Chicago Sky | 15-24 (.385) | 16 | -2.6 |
11. Los Angeles Sparks | 13-25 (.342) | 17.5 | -5.2 |
12. Phoenix Mercury | 13-25 (.342) | 17.5 | -3.9 |
13. Toronto Tempo | 11-26 (.297) | 19 | -6.4 |
14. Connecticut Sun | 10-27 (.270) | 20 | -7.7 |
15. Seattle Storm | 7-31 (.184) | 23.5 | -5.5 |
Playoff teams ranked by schedule strength
Every team will come back from the FIBA break with less than five games remaining in the regular season. This doesn't give them a lot of time to get right back into the swing of things and boost themselves up for a better seed. While it seems right now that Minnesota is running away with the No. 1 seed, their strength of schedule gives Las Vegas and Golden State a little hope.
PLAYOFF TEAM | TOTAL GAMES LEFT | GAMES LEFT AGAINST OTHER PLAYOFF TEAMS |
|---|---|---|
New York Liberty | 6 | 4 |
Minnesota Lynx | 5 | 4 |
Indiana Fever | 5 | 3 |
Atlanta Dream | 6 | 3 |
Washington Mystics | 6 | 1 |
Golden State Valkyries | 7 | 1 |
Dallas Wings | 5 | 0 |
Las Vegas Aces | 5 | 0 |
What Golden State's win over Minnesota tells us
The Valkyries were finally able to pull out a victory over the Lynx — not only their first of the season, but also the first in franchise history. Minnesota's starting shooting guard, Courtney Williams, was unavailable due to injury. This, combined with a poor shooting night and turnovers, made it a tough night for the Lynx. Golden State scored 21 points off of Minnesota's turnovers. They played into their biggest strength: defense. They swarmed Napheesa Collier every time she was in the paint and held Olivia Miles to only 25 percent from the floor. Plus, their bench did their thing all night.
This performance had to give Golden State a confidence boost after going 0-3 against Minnesota this season. They have one of the easier remaining schedules, while the Lynx have the second-toughest. There are pros and cons to both, of course. It would be very unlikely for Minnesota to lose nearly every one of its remaining games, giving Golden State the chance at the No. 1 seed. But if we do end up seeing this matchup in the postseason, possibly even the Finals series, the Valkyries now know what a winning performance looks like.
The DeWanna Bonner thing
If you heard the news that DeWanna Bonner is no longer a Phoenix Mercury and are a little confused, let us explain. The Mercury and Bonner agreed to a buyout, meaning once she clears waivers, she'll be a free agent with the ability to sign anywhere she wants. This could very well be Bonner's last season in the WNBA, and with the Mercury eliminated from playoff contention, this move gives her the chance to chase one final ring with a title contender. Both parties released statements expressing gratitude for one another.
When it comes to where Bonner might land, there are plenty of options. Here are a few:
Las Vegas Aces: Not only could Vegas use a bit more depth, but they also could've just lost one of their stars to an injury. This past weekend, NaLyssa Smith went down with a knee injury. She was helped off the court. No update has been given on the nature of Smith's injury. But if she is out for a bit, that's 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game that need to be made up. The Aces' other starting forward, Stephanie Talbot, only contributes 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Dallas Wings: The Wings could use both more presence in the post and a veteran with elite playoff experience. Right now, Jessica Shepard is the only big averaging more than 6.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Awak Kuier has been stepping up lately, but with Bonner in the mix, she could simply be used to draw more attention away from Shepard, Kuier, or Alanna Smith.
Atlanta Dream: Here's another team with an injured frontcourt. Forward Brionna Jones has only played in nine games this season; there is no timeline for her return. While Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon hold it down in the paint, Bonner bringing a spark off the bench might entice Atlanta enough to sign her.
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