NEW YORK (AP) — As the WNBA approaches the final week of the regular season, the playoff seedings remain up for grabs.
While the eight teams heading to the postseason were confirmed weeks ago, none have secured their exact rankings. Minnesota and Golden State continue to battle for the top overall seed and the coveted homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. Las Vegas currently holds a strong position for the No. 3 seed.
The race becomes even tighter further down the standings, with just two games separating fourth-place Atlanta from eighth-place Dallas. The Wings, Liberty, and Mystics all share identical records as of Monday, with Indiana holding a narrow one-game lead over this pack.
Two crucial matchups this week will carry significant playoff implications: Minnesota and Indiana will face off twice in a home-and-home series on Tuesday and Thursday, and New York and Atlanta will also meet twice. These battles are set to heavily influence the final playoff matchups.
“I think it’ll be good for both us and New York to get two games going into the playoffs, wherever it shakes out, where you’re already playing a playoff intensity and kind of playoff stakes,” said Atlanta coach Karl Smekso after Monday’s shootaround.
Power poll rankings
This week’s power poll still places Golden State at No. 1, followed by Las Vegas and Minnesota. Atlanta, New York, Washington, and Dallas trail the Lynx, with Indiana coming in eighth. Rounding out the poll are Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Chicago, Toronto, Connecticut, and Seattle.
Immortalized in bronze
The Los Angeles Sparks recently honored Lisa Leslie with a bronze statue outside their arena, making her the 16th person to receive this distinction in the Star Plaza. The ceremony included notable figures such as Magic Johnson, Candace Parker, and Michael Cooper.
Leslie, who played for the Sparks from 1997 to 2009, is the first Sparks player to be immortalized in statue form. The 11-foot statue on a 4 ½-foot base captures Leslie’s iconic dunk—the very first in WNBA history.
Record-breaking rookie
Olivia Miles broke Caitlin Clark’s rookie scoring record by hitting her 770th point in the Minnesota Lynx’s recent win over Connecticut on Sunday. Having entered the game tied with Clark, Miles set the new record early in the second quarter with a free throw and finished the game with 21 points, bringing her season total to 790.
Player of the week
New York’s Breanna Stewart earned AP Player of the Week honors after averaging 25.5 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in two Liberty victories last week, including a key win on the road at Minnesota. Others receiving votes were Paige Bueckers of Dallas, Kiki Iriafen of Washington, and Angel Reese of Atlanta.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Fan Take: With playoff seedings still fluid, the final week of the WNBA regular season promises thrilling matchups that could redefine postseason dynamics. This intensity underscores the league’s growing parity and competitiveness, boosting excitement and visibility for women’s basketball.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
