Note: WNBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Tuesday during the season, are the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

As the WNBA hits the pause button on the 2016 season to allow its players to represent their countries in the Olympic Games, the players not headed to Brazil have an opportunity to rest, heal and prepare for the final stretch of the season, which resumes on August 26.

Keep in mind that this is not a mid-season break — we’re more than two-thirds of the way through the season with all but one team (San Antonio) having 10 games of fewer remaining on their schedule. With the new playoff format taking the top eight teams into the postseason tournament regardless of conference affiliation, let’s take a closer look at the league standings.

At the top, L.A. and Minnesota have already clinched playoff berths and New York is in a strong position to claim the third spot once the season resumes. But after that, there are eight teams separated by just four games in the loss column and only five playoff spots left to fill. Which teams will best utilize the break and be ready to hit the ground running come August 26?

We’ve all heard the cliche, “Life’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” Well, when it comes to playoff life, it’s time for teams to train over the next month for a 10-game sprint to the finish line.

1. Los Angeles Sparks

Last Week: 1
2016 Record: 21-3 (clinched playoff berth)
OffRtg: 110.0 (1); DefRtg: 96.9 (2); NetRtg: 13.2 (1)

The Sparks tied the 1998 Comets for the best start in WNBA history (20-1), but were unable to set a new record as they lost back-to-back games last week before closing out their pre-break schedule with a dominant 20-point win over Washington. L.A. enters the break with the league’s top record, but holds just a half-game lead over Minnesota.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Last Week: 2
2016 Record: 21-4 (clinched playoff berth)
OffRtg: 106.6 (2); DefRtg: 94.4 (1); NetRtg: 12.2 (2)

Coach Cheryl Reeve and her top four players — Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen and Sylvia Fowles — will spend plenty of time together during the break as they represent the USA in Rio. With a busy schedule leading up to the Olympics, the Games themselves and the travel to and from Brazil, how will the Lynx respond when they get back to Minnesota to continue their title defense?

3. New York Liberty

Last Week: 3
2016 Record: 18-8
OffRtg: 100.9 (8); DefRtg: 97.6 (3); NetRtg: 3.3 (3)

The top team in the East dropped its final game heading into the break, but has won six of eight overall and is in a prime position for a high playoff seed. Tina Charles will be in Brazil to represent the USA; will she be as dominant in Rio as she has been in the W this season? Charles leads the league in both scoring and rebounding at the break.

4. Atlanta Dream

Last Week: 4
2016 Record: 13-12
OffRtg: 99.1 (11); DefRtg: 101.9 (4); NetRtg: -2.8 (8)

Last Sunday, the Dream stopped the Sparks’ bid for the best start in WNBA history as they handed the top team in the league their second loss of the season. And they did so without Sancho Lyttle (the league leader in steals and team leader in rebounds), who was lost for the regular season with a broken bone in her right foot. The Dream have had big ups (five-game winning streak) and downs (six-game losing streak) so far this season; can they find consistent play in the final stretch?

5. Indiana Fever

Last Week: 7
2016 Record: 12-12
OffRtg: 101.7 (7); DefRtg: 103.0 (5); NetRtg: -1.3 (6)

After falling to 7-11 with a loss to Los Angeles on July 6, the Fever won five of their last six games (including their final three) before the break to climb back to .500 for the first time since June 5. Unfortunately for Indiana, the hot streak will have a month to cool off before the team can try to get it going again for the stretch run.

6. Chicago Sky

Last Week: 5
2016 Record: 11-13
OffRtg: 105.3 (4); DefRtg: 105.5 (10); NetRtg: -0.1 (4)

The Sky will have three players in Rio as Elena Delle Donne represents the United States while Erika de Souza and Clarissa Dos Santos represent their home country of Brazil. The Sky saw their three-game winning streak snapped on the final night before the break, but are winners of four of their last six games.

7. Phoenix Mercury

Last Week: 6
2016 Record: 10-14
OffRtg: 105.5 (3); DefRtg: 106.3 (11); NetRtg: -0.8 (5)

In addition to Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner suiting up for the U.S. in Rio, the Mercury will also be represented at the Olympics by Penny Taylor (Australia) and Sonja Petrovic (Serbia). Phoenix has plenty of work to do once this quartet of players returns from Brazil, as the Mercury lost four of their final six games heading into the break, including a last-second loss to Chicago in their final game on Tuesday.

8. Seattle Storm

Last Week: 8
2016 Record: 9-15
OffRtg: 103.2 (5); DefRtg: 104.6 (8); NetRtg: -1.4 (7)

While Minnesota has four players on the USABWNT and Phoenix has four players split between the U.S. and the rest of the field, no WNBA will be more represented in Rio than the Seattle Storm, which sends five players to Rio to compete for the gold. The Storm has veteran Sue Bird and rookie Breanna Stewart on the USABWNT, Abby Bishop and Jenna O’Hea on the Australian squad and Ramu Tokashiki representing Japan. If the season ended today, Seattle would be tied with Washington for the eighth playoff spot. Can they secure a spot in the WNBA postseason tournament after finishing the Olympic tournament?

9. Connecticut Sun

Last Week: 11
2016 Record: 8-16
OffRtg: 99.3 (10); DefRtg: 103.8 (7); NetRtg: -4.5 (T-10)

The Sun enter the break as winners of two straight and three of their last five games. Similar to Indiana, this is a team that had momentum on its side when the break hit and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to turn the corner once the season resumes. The Sun are just one of two teams (Washington being the other) to not have any players competing in Rio. Can they take advantage of the extra time to focus on the remainder of the WNBA season while others have to shift focus to national team competition?

10. Dallas Wings

Last Week: 10
2016 Record: 9-16
OffRtg: 103.1 (6); DefRtg: 107.2 (12); NetRtg: -4.0 (9)

The break in the schedule could not have come soon enough for our next three teams, beginning with Dallas. The Wings have lost six straight games to fall to 9-16 on the season and are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture as the Olympic hiatus begins. If there is any silver lining to cling to, four of Dallas’ six losses have come by single digits, so the team isn’t far from breaking through and snapping this losing streak. Now they have four weeks to find some answers.

11. Washington Mystics

Last Week: 9
2016 Record: 9-15
OffRtg: 100.8 (9); DefRtg: 105.4 (9); NetRtg: -4.5 (T-10)

The Mystics are owners of the longest losing streak in the league at the Olympic break, having dropped their final seven games, including blowout losses to Seattle (29 points) and Los Angeles (20 points) in the last final week. Before this losing streak began on July 1, the Mystics had won five of six games, had climbed over .500, had beaten the defending champs and sat at the No. 4 spot in our Week 7 power rankings. While July was unkind to Washington, can they find some answers in August and September?

12. San Antonio Stars

Last Week: 12
2016 Record: 5-18
OffRtg: 93.0 (12); DefRtg: 103.1 (6); NetRtg: -10.1 (12)

The Stars have taken a near-permanent residence at the bottom of the weekly Power Rankings and enter the Olympic break having lost five straight to fall to 5-18 on the season. The Stars simply don’t score enough points on a nightly basis to win many games in this league. During their five-game losing streak, the Stars have averaged 64.6 points per game, and they have not reach 70 points since their last win on July 6. When the Stars score 70 points, they are 5-7; when they fail to reach 70 points, they are 0-11.

ASSOCIATED PRESS POWER POLL

1. Los Angeles (14)
2. Minnesota
3. New York
4. Atlanta
5. Chicago
6. Indiana
7. Phoenix
8. Dallas
9. Washington
10. Seattle
11. Connecticut
12. San Antonio

Click here to view the full rankings on AP.org