With the league back from the All-Star break, but only a couple of weeks away from the FIBA break, it’s crunch time for a lot of teams. While the bottom half of the standings is staying pretty consistent, things could get interesting up top before the regular season comes to a close.
A couple of teams came back from break looking fully rejuvenated, while others have plummeted. Here are a few teams we’ve seen leap, a couple who’ve been knocked down, and some surprising takeaways.
Teams on the Rise
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics are quickly becoming the most threatening team in the league. They went into the All-Star break on a two-game winning streak against two tough opponents ‚ the Aces and the Valkyries. Seemingly, the confidence that came with those dubs did not disappear when the team returned from the break. They’ve now won seven games in a row — five against serious playoff opponents.
Not only is this recent streak the longest active one in the W, but it’s also one away from their longest in franchise history. They’ve risen from spot No. 8 in our last volume to No. 6. The Mystics are firmly sitting in playoff contention now, but have two tough games ahead of them. They will face the Las Vegas Aces back-to-back this week. The key to them doing it again will be Shakira Austin, who is having the season of her life.
Minnesota Lynx
In our last volume, the Lynx were sitting at No. 2 right under the Las Vegas Aces. Well, they’ve regained a tight hold on the top spot in the league. Just yesterday, they became the first team to officially clinch a playoff spot — but now they aim higher: the No. 1 seed. It’s looking like theirs to lose right now, as the Valkyries are three games back.
Minnesota has won 12 of its last 13 games, beating opponents like Las Vegas, New York, Indiana, and Dallas. With the return of Napheesa Collier to the lineup, there’s no telling how much more damage this team could do before the regular season ends. Their other elite pieces have all been stepping up in the right ways, as well. Kayla McBride just set a new WNBA single-game record in 3-pointers made, with 10. She finished the night with a whopping 43 points. Rookie sensation Olivia Miles has been unstoppable, averaging 24.3 points per game over their last four. This squad isn’t just sitting pretty ‘on the rise’; they’re staring a deep playoff run right in the face.
Teams on the Decline
Dallas Wings
When we say a couple of teams have plummeted since the All-Star break, unfortunately, we’re talking about the Dallas Wings. Since returning, they’ve lost five of their last six games. They’ve developed some apparent cracks. Azzi Fudd, who has become an integral part of their starting lineup, has been out due to injury.
Luckily, the Wings had a great first half of the season, so they could afford a bit of a slow start back into things. But it can’t go on for much longer. They’ve mostly been losing to other playoff teams, like Minnesota, Golden State, Washington and Atlanta. While earlier in the season, this probably wouldn’t have been cause for concern, it’s now becoming close to playoff time. These are the exact teams they’ll likely be facing in the postseason; getting some wins and confidence against them now could’ve been great for future meetings. This week, they’ll face off against Indiana and Golden State with hopes of getting their season back on track.
Toronto Tempo
A few weeks ago, the Tempo’s playoff hopes were still in the conversation, but now, it’s not looking very likely. In our last volume, Toronto was sitting at No. 9. They’ve dropped to No. 13 this time around. They’ve lost their last eight games. While it’s been a pretty tough stretch, against opponents like Golden State, Minnesota and Vegas, they still needed to grab a few of those wins to keep their season alive.
Injuries have hit the Tempo pretty hard this season. Brittney Sykes has been unavailable since mid-June. Kiki Rice just returned to play for the first time since early June. However, Toronto did add a key piece before the trade deadline. Aneesah Morrow was traded to the Tempo, rejoining her vet, Marina Mabrey. She brings a frontcourt presence this team desperately needed. Sykes is expected to return before the season ends. Maybe with the team fully healthy and a powerful new addition, they can make a push back up the standings.
Surprising Takeaways
Bottom-Half Teams with Promising Pieces
Speaking of trades, Kelsey Plum has joined the Phoenix Mercury. While it would take a lot of top-half movement for the Merc to squeeze into the playoffs, it’s still fun to watch this team — especially with KP in the backcourt. She, Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper all have experience playing together for Team USA. That connection has shown itself in Plum’s early games with Phoenix. She put up 20 points, one rebound and four assists during her debut. Now, the question is: Does she stay in Phoenix for the 2027 season…?
The Chicago Sky is another bottom-half team that saw a bit of a jump in our rankings. They hopped up three spots since our last volume. Rookie Sydney Taylor is their most promising and surprising piece. Before the season, I’m not sure anyone would’ve expected this undrafted rookie to hit a game-winning 3-pointer over the Las Vegas Aces — but here we are. If the Sky can stay healthy next season, she could be what takes this team far.
