With the trade deadline behind us and simply 5 weeks remaining within the common season, the push to the WNBA playoffs is formally on.
A couple of groups made strikes to bolster their roster for a postseason push — like DiJonai Carrington being traded to the Minnesota Lynx, who wish to return to the WNBA Finals. The Washington Mystics hit the reset button, trading Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm for Alysha Clark after which sending Aaliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun.
Solely three video games separate the present No. 2 seed (New York Liberty) and the No. 5 seed (Indiana Fever), with the Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury between them.
Maybe probably the most attention-grabbing chunk of the playoff races is going down on the backside half of the standings, between the Storm, Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, Los Angeles Sparks and Mystics. Solely two video games separate the present No. 5 and No. 8 seeds, and only one sport sits between the No. 8 and No. 10 seeds.
The three groups seemingly out of the playoffs are the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings and Solar.
With every sport mattering greater than ever and the margins of error getting smaller, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Kevin Pelton and Alexa Philippou have a look at who could possibly be the difference-maker for the groups with playoff hopes, and who’s the important thing to future success for the groups whose yr will end on the finish of the common season.
Grey has been the Most Improved Participant front-runner all season, and her continued progress is essential to the Dream’s playoff hopes. Grey is within the prime three of practically each main statistical class for Atlanta, main the staff in factors (18.7 per sport), third in rebounds (5.5), third in assists (3.9) and third in steals (1.2).
Grey has been an All-Star for 3 consecutive years and gained an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. 3×3 staff in 2021. However to make this bounce this deep in her nine-year profession is particular. The Dream have misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs the previous two seasons — Grey’s first two years with the staff — and now want her to proceed to carry out with a purpose to make a deeper run. — Andrews
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Dream blow out Mercury behind Allisha Grey’s massive evening
Allisha Grey is lights out from deep because the Dream rout the Mercury.
The Sky made waves after they acquired Atkins in the course of the offseason, a transfer that was made with a “win-now” strategy in thoughts. The WNBA champion, Olympic gold medalist and two-time All-Star brings a veteran, successful presence that is exhausting to return by on this younger staff.
After sitting six video games with a leg harm, Atkins returned final Sunday, which ought to hopefully convey some reduction to the Sky. With out her, they misplaced by 37 to Atlanta, 23 to the Lynx and 38 to the Mystics. Atkins will not cease all the bleeding — Chicago was additionally with out Angel Reese for a number of video games due to a again harm — however she stays essential to the Sky ending a protracted shedding streak and discovering any success by way of the ultimate weeks of the common season. — Andrews
The Solar are centered on constructing for the long run, and Lacan is a crucial a part of that. Connecticut’s 2024 first-round draft decide, she joined the staff late this season due to commitments with the French nationwide staff and didn’t make her WNBA debut till July 6. However the 21-year-old has been well worth the wait, bringing a spark on the defensive finish and a capability to get downhill and create for others. To place it merely, she has introduced extra juice to the league’s last-place squad. Simply this week Lacan turned the primary participant since 2009 to report a 10-point, six-steal sport in Connecticut’s loss to the Mercury.
With solely 12 WNBA video games beneath her belt this season, the extra Lacan can get comfy within the subsequent 5 weeks — together with taking part in alongside Connecticut’s different younger expertise — the higher. — Philippou
Dallas is one other staff that’s much less centered on successful this season and extra on figuring out which gamers match into its future, because it appears to construct round No. 1 decide Paige Bueckers. Amid an injury-plagued season, the Wings had been with out Siegrist, their 2023 lottery decide who was within the Most Improved Participant dialog final yr, for a lot of the summer season after she suffered a tibial plateau fracture in mid-June. Siegrist made her long-awaited return Tuesday, although, recording 13 factors in quarter-hour in Dallas’ loss to the Liberty.
Siegrist’s versatility, motor and vitality ought to assist the Wings within the ultimate third of the common season. After lacking a lot time this yr, plus 13 video games final yr with a damaged finger, any momentum the Villanova legend can construct might assist her heading into subsequent summer season. — Philippou
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Maddy Siegrist with the ring & hurt
Maddy Siegrist scores and attracts the foul
Since Kayla Thornton‘s season ended with a left leg harm, the Valkyries have desperately wanted somebody to step up and exchange her team-leading 14.0 PPG and seven.0 RPG. They are going to preserve no single particular person could make up for Thornton’s manufacturing, however Hayes will carry a heavier burden now.
With a really younger and closely worldwide staff, Hayes’ voice within the locker room may also go a good distance. She is the reigning Sixth Participant of the 12 months and has extra playoff expertise than practically all of her teammates. If Golden State needs to make the postseason in its inaugural yr, Hayes should lead them there. — Andrews
It is no secret that Clark is the centerpiece of the Fever’s identification. And whereas they’ve managed to win throughout her absence, she stays the important thing to their playoff aspirations.
Sure, even earlier than she went down with the groin harm that has sidelined her since July 15 — and the precise quad harm earlier than that — her stats dropped a bit in comparison with her rookie season. However Indiana averages 87.8 factors when Clark is on the ground, based on StatMuse, and 83.4 factors with out her. Gamers comparable to Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald have stepped up their scoring over the previous a number of weeks, so now in case you add in a wholesome Clark and her 16.5 PPG, the Fever’s high-powered offense ought to be even stronger. — Andrews
A’ja Wilson has achieved every thing she will to assist the Aces. She’s main the staff in minutes, factors, rebounds and steals, and is third in assists. But Las Vegas is preventing for a spot on the backside of the playoff standings. If the Aces wish to discover any postseason success, Wilson wants assist, and a variety of that should come from Loyd. On paper, it appeared like Loyd would match completely subsequent to Wilson and within the Aces’ system after she arrived through the blockbuster commerce that additionally noticed Kelsey Plum go away for Los Angeles. However up to now, Loyd is averaging 11.3 factors — the fewest since her rookie season — and a career-low 1.8 assists per sport. The Aces want extra from her. — Andrews
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Aces overpower Valkyries in 101-77 win
The Aces cruise previous the Valkyries 101-77 behind Jewell Loyd’s 27-point efficiency.
The Sparks had been on a five-game successful streak, having discovered their type offensively and boasting one of many prime items within the league for the reason that All-Star break, when Brink made her return from a 13-month ACL restoration. And simply 4 video games in, she could possibly be key to serving to make them a formidable staff to face within the playoffs.
Take the Sparks’ win over Indiana on Tuesday: Brink was held scoreless however completed with a plus/minus of +12 off the bench largely because of her defensive presence within the paint, along with her 5 blocks — in simply 16 minutes! — tying a profession excessive. Her offense will come, and the Sparks have loads of scorers within the meantime, but when she will propel them into even a middle-of-the-pack staff defensively, this might be a harmful group within the fall. — Philippou
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Cameron Brink sends the shot away
Cameron Brink sends the shot away, 08/05/2025
Carrington is the plain alternative after the Lynx traded for her earlier than the Aug. 8 deadline. The transfer bolsters Minnesota’s depth on the wing — particularly essential after Karlie Samuelson‘s season-ending foot harm — and offers extra defensive versatility for a squad that already boasts the league’s finest defensive score. Carrington’s influence was on full show in her Lynx debut Tuesday, the place she tallied 13 factors, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a pair of steals in 18 minutes off the bench within the four-point win over Seattle with out Napheesa Collier.
The Lynx additionally sought so as to add Carrington hoping her expertise making deep playoff runs with Connecticut helps. Time will inform whether or not the 5-foot-11 guard is the lacking piece for a staff that was one play away from hoisting the trophy final October. — Philippou
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How DiJonai Carrington’s expertise can profit the Lynx
Alexa Philippou offers her tackle what DiJonai Carrington can convey to the Minnesota Lynx of their playoff push.
Meesseman brings super offensive versatility down low for New York, able to scoring off the dribble, recognizing up or working out of the excessive put up with excessive effectivity and basketball IQ. Defensively, she’s one other true rim protector who can swap one by way of 4. She will be able to use her size to disrupt passing lanes and block pictures. In simply two video games, she is fourth on the staff in scoring, averaging 12 factors on 45% taking pictures and a pair of.5 rebounds.
Though Meesseman hadn’t performed within the WNBA since 2022, she has been dominating abroad hoops, together with successful six EuroLeague championships and three EuroLeague MVPs. Her arrival in New York comes on the good time, because the Liberty navigate a plethora of accidents, together with Breanna Stewart‘s knee. However when they’re at full power, Meesseman offers them unimaginable depth within the frontcourt and can make them unrelenting. — Andrews
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What does the Emma Meesseman signing convey to the Liberty?
Alexa Philippou breaks down how 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman provides measurement and familiarity to the Liberty.
The Mercury had one of many flashiest offseasons, bringing in Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally, however crucial participant for his or her playoff hopes is the one who has been in Phoenix the longest.
Copper has been the principle choice for her groups in recent times, and took her sport to the following stage in 2024. However now, she’s taking part in subsequent to Thomas, who has pressured her means into the MVP dialog this yr, and has had to determine alter her sport alongside her new teammates. After lacking the primary month of the season due to knee and hamstring accidents, she is discovering a rhythm, averaging 17.4 factors over her previous 5 video games. She put up 22 factors towards the Fever — the identical sport by which Thomas scored a career-high 32. It was the proper instance of how harmful this staff will be with each of them. — Andrews
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Mercury cease 2-game skid with dominant win vs. Sky
The Phoenix Mercury hand the Chicago Sky their eighth straight loss with an 83-67 victory.
The Storm made one of many greatest strikes earlier than the commerce deadline, including All-Star guard Brittney Sykes from Washington to provide them 4 2025 All-Stars, greater than some other staff. Though Sykes ought to assist Seattle at each ends along with her defensive versatility and skill to get to the free throw line, it is Malonga — the No. 2 decide in April — who offers the Storm probably the most upside for a playoff push.
The WNBA’s youngest participant, Malonga will not flip 20 till November. She has grown dramatically over the course of her rookie season after being out and in of Noelle Quinn’s rotation within the first half of the summer season. For the reason that All-Star break, Malonga has averaged 9.1 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 18 minutes, ending the evening, at occasions, forward of former All-Star middle Ezi Magbegor. Malonga’s measurement and athleticism give Seattle a dimension the staff’s many All-Stars do not supply. — Pelton
The most important purpose Washington is such a shock this season — and within the playoff image — is due to this rookie duo.
Each gamers made the All-Star staff, and for a good quantity of the early season had been in rivalry for Rookie of the 12 months. Citron and Iriafen are nonetheless second and third within the league in rookie scoring, respectively, however the staff’s offense has slowed considerably over the previous few weeks. And now with Brittney Sykes gone, the Mystics ought to push the total reset button and hand the keys to their rookies. The schedule is variety to Washington by way of the ultimate month of the season, so each gamers have to step as much as assist crack the highest eight and safe a spot within the postseason. — Andrews