The Liberty light the way while Caitlin Clark and the Fever get hotter. Here’s what the WNBA landscape looks like this week.
The WNBA regular season is coming to a close with the playoffs on the horizon. With the timeline looming large, teams are giving their all to secure that final spot and vying for home court advantage. After a down week, the Las Vegas Aces are back at the table thanks to A’Ja Wilson and her plain white T’s.
Elsewhere, Caitlin Clark has snatched up a handful of accolades and led the Indiana Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. While the number one team in the league, the New York Liberty, continues to tower above the competition.
But how do those teams stack up against each other? And what about the rest of the league?
Here is what the WNBA landscape looks like with two weeks left in the season.12. Chicago Sky (11-22)
Last week: 10 | Upcoming: DAL (9/9), WAS (9/11), MIN (9/14)
Chicago’s lack of offense outside of Angel Reese’s efforts on the boards is really starting to hurt the Sky. The team was firmly in position to take the 8th seed, but thanks to a dragging 7-game losing streak after the break, they found themselves in a heated battle for the final spot in the playoffs against the Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics.
If a playoff push amid that long skid wasn’t enough pressure, the Sky were without leading scorer Chennedy Carter for four games, including a narrow loss to Minnesota.11. Los Angeles Sparks (7-26)
Last week: 12 | Upcoming: CON (9/8), CON (9/10), SEA (9/11)
The depleted L.A. Sparks may have had to endure another tough season this year, but the team has plenty to look forward to in the future. Although they have had subpar showings lately, Rickea Jackson and Dearica Hamby are doing everything in their power to keep games close and they played a key role in the Sparks‘ win over the Liberty, though New York was without Jonquel Jones at the time.10. Dallas Wings (9-24)
Last week: 7 | Upcoming: CHI (9/8), NYL (9/10), NYL (9/12), SEA (9/13)
Despite looking all but out of the playoff picture thanks to an unrelenting spate of injuries, Dallas seemed to be soaring with victories over the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx.
The flight, however, was grounded quickly after narrow loses to Indiana and Washington. With the Chicago Sky free-falling and the Mystics and Dream surging, Dallas can only hope that their talent can match up with the top-tier teams they have to face through the end of the season if they want to snag that last spot. Arike Ogunbowale is a supernova with the ball in her hands, and with her shotmaking, the Wings always have a chance.9. Atlanta Dream (11-22)
Last week: 11 | Upcoming: IND (9/8), MIN (9/10), WAS (9/13)
Rhyne Howard and the squad in Atlanta are dreaming about that 8th seed.
Despite a rough stretch, the Dream are still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs that they desperately crave. Missing key players Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Aerial Powers, though, may make that a considerable undertaking for a team lacking an extra scorer. In a tight loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Howard accounted for 31 of the team’s 66 points which won’t help playoff aspirations if they can’t deploy a more balanced attack.
