5 Things I Like

We are officially hitting a very important stretch of the WNBA season, where regular-season games begin to matter just a bit more with each passing week. Playoff standings are beginning to take some shape, although the middle of the standings are currently an absolute mess. It’s what’s making wins and losses feel like they carry the weight of the world right now. 
Only the Minnesota Lynx managed to clinch a playoff spot this past week, and understandably so &#8211; they’ve been atop the standings for virtually the entire year, and are only becoming harder to topple with Napheesa Collier back on the floor. 
Elsewhere, though, we’re seeing surges at just the right time from one very likely source, and one that’s surprising a lot of fans.
<hr />
<h2>Mystics Just Can’t Lose</h2>
I watched the Mystics contest against the Atlanta Dream last week, where they had managed to go up by double digits at one point in the second half and never looked ready to relinquish that lead. Despite the Dream rostering some of the better bigs in the league between Bri Jones and Angel Reese, the Mystics frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin looks unwavering in their pursuit of a dominant defensive performance as of late. 
Couple that with their consistent output on offense, as well as Sonia Citron’s three-point shooting or Michaela Onyenwere’s career-best shooting, and they’ve looked like an actual threat for playoff teams. They have the second-best defensive rating in the WNBA right now (102.8), are the best rebounding team in the league, and roster some of the youngest talent in the league as we head into a postseason run where health (and age) will matter. 
Washington is riding a 7-game winning streak into Week 12, with major victories over the Dream, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, and the Dallas Wings (twice). It feels like, after a few years of building through the draft and remaining invested in Austin, they’ve finally arrived with this new core.
<hr />
<h2>Aces Creeping Up Standings</h2>
<div id="attachment_268689" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268689" class="wp-image-268689 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The Las Vegas Aces huddle up</div>
There is a world where either the Valkyries or Aces can overtake the Lynx in the standings. Minnesota has the toughest remaining schedule between the three contenders according to Tankathon, which measures remaining schedule difficulty based on opponents’ winning percentage. Las Vegas’ remaining SOS is 14th out of 15 teams, while Golden State’s is at 12. 
You never want to count out Las Vegas, specifically, and a great example of that is their recent barnburner of a game against the Indiana Fever this past week. Jackie Young can catch fire at any time, evidenced by her solo run in the second quarter of this game that got her to 15 points at halftime, or A’ja Wilson simply remembering that she’s the league’s reigning MVP before completely dominating the Fever’s bigs in overtime to finish up with 26 points &#8211; eight in the game in overtime. 
Chelsea Gray is obviously the greatest example of the Aces ability to rip a team’s heart out, though. At the end of the fourth quarter, Stephanie Talbot inbounded what looked to be a really bad turnover before Young managed to get possession over the shoulders of an Indiana player. She immediately passed the ball out to an open Gray, who hit a three without hesitation to get Las Vegas into overtime. 
Then, on a shot from Caitlin Clark that Wilson blocked, the Aces managed to push the ball out to Gray for a last-second three-pointer that landed at the buzzer, winning the game for Las Vegas and helping them along in their quest to remain a postseason threat. 
Their season could be best described as “wobbly.” They’re trying to find their footing, but some mental errors in-game, as well as stiffer competition from front courts like that of Washington, or Golden State, or Minnesota, have made it harder to play everything through Wilson. But, they have more than enough talent on their roster to take that burden off of Wilson completely. It’s a matter of remembering that in-game, and in clutch moments like this one that captivated us all.
<hr />
<h2>Early Returns on Two Trades After Deadline</h2>
The two biggest transactions from this year’s trade deadline were the Los Angeles Sparks trading Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani and draft compensation, and the Connecticut Sun parting ways with Aneesah Morrow in exchange for the Toronto Tempo’s 2028 second-round pick and the rights to Maria Kliundikova. 
Plum has averaged 17.3 points per game for the Mercury through four games on 40 percent shooting from three and 53.5 percent shooting from the field overall. That’s all while averaging about ten minutes less on the floor than she was with the Sparks, so her efficiency seems to be shining through with her first few games with them. 
Unfortunately, a lingering leg injury seems to be already keeping her limited with Phoenix, but that’s always the best course of action with any calf issue. Plum’s impact has not necessarily led to a winning streak by any means for Phoenix as they look to make a late-season push for a playoff spot, but the jury is still out on how she can meaningfully contribute to their vision to avoid a rebuild. 
As for Morrow, on paper, she addresses one of the Tempo’s most consistent problems this season &#8211; rebounding and paint scoring. In her first three games for Toronto, she’s averaging 10 points per game along with 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and one block through 18.7 minutes per game. Unfortunately, Toronto is on a nine-game losing streak en route to missing out on a playoff appearance. This could open the door to a bit more experimentation with Morrow’s role within their offense, especially when Brittney Sykes returns to the floor.
<hr />
<h2>McBride Asks That We Don’t Forget Her Impact</h2>
<div id="attachment_268690" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268690" class="wp-image-268690 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Kayla McBride #21 of the Minnesota Lynx celebrates she scores her tenth three point basket to break the WNBA Record</div>
McBride is a core piece of the Lynx’s top-seeded squad this season, and that’s in major thanks to her consistency as a three-point shooting threat. With Collier back on the floor, she has even more opportunities from long range as Collier’s gravity creates a problem for defenders. 
Against the Dallas Wings this past weekend, McBride really put her three-point shooting on display, breaking a WNBA record for most made threes in a game with 10. 
“It’s crazy. I’ve been in this league for 13 years, and choosing to come back here in the offseason, I didn’t know — we didn’t know what it was going to look like. Moments like this, times like this, you realize you made the right decision,” said McBride after the win. 
McBride is a 13-year veteran and a hopeful key to the beginning of a new dynasty in Minnesota. She’s averaged 18.4 points per game this season &#8211; a career high &#8211; in addition to 3.3 rebounds, and she’s shooting 51.8 percent from three-point range over her last seven games on eight attempts per game. Lights out might not be the best way to describe her offensive output as of late &#8211; more like a blanketing flurry of shooting.
<hr />
<h2>Sky Finding Spark Again</h2>
While their season feels fairly over (although anything can happen in the middle of the current WNBA standings), Chicago seems to be finding itself again thanks to the return of Dijonai Carrington to the floor. Just the past week &#8211; sans a shortened game against the Indiana Fever following a flagrant 2 committed by Carrington &#8211; her two-way play has really shined. Averaging 16.5 minutes per game through six games played, she’s averaged 12.5 points per game along with one steal and 2.5 rebounds. 
Chicago only went 1-2 this past week, but Carrington, Kamilla Cardoso, and Courtney Vandersloot all played solidly in those contests. 
Carrington, a former Defensive Player of the Year candidate with the Connecticut Sun back in 2024 and a solid scorer, could factor in as a key piece to Chicago’s future look, assuming they continue to rebuild themselves through the draft. Between her play and that of rookie Sydney Taylor, they could have the backcourt of their future.

five-things-i-like-week-eleven-2026

Five Things I Like: Week 11

Power Rankings

The 2026 playoff picture is starting to come into focus as we know the first team to clinch (Minnesota) and the first team eliminated from contention (Seattle).
While three games separate first place (Minnesota) from second place (Golden State) at the top of the standings, just below them are six teams (Las Vegas, Indiana, Washington, Atlanta, New York and Dallas) also separated by only three games.
Each team is looking to not only clinch its spot but also earn the highest seed possible, which means every game from here on out is critical to how this race plays out.
Let’s take a look at how they stack up entering a new week.
Note: All stats and records are through games played Sunday, Aug. 9.
<hr />
<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (27-7) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at POR, Sat. at LVA</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_268602" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268602" class="wp-image-268602" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="720" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-300x240.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288859722-2048x1638.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Olivia Miles #5 and Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
In Sunday’s win over Dallas, the Lynx not only became the first team to punch their ticket to the playoffs, but they also witnessed history as Kayla McBride became the first player in WNBA history to hit at least 10 3-pointers in a single game. Even with their 10-game win streak snapped, the Lynx have won 12 of their last 13 games dating back to July 8. Over that stretch, McBride has been cookin’ — averaging 23.1 points on 53.6% FG, 50.9% 3P, and 96.3% FT shooting splits.
<hr />
<h2>2. Golden State Valkyries (23-9) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
The Valkyries bring a four-game win streak into this week, which has them hosting Chicago in their only game of the week. Dating back to June 24, Golden State has won 13 of its last 15 games, which is the best record over the past 15 games for any team in the league, one better than Minnesota. The Valkyries have already matched their win total from their inaugural season (23-21) — how much higher can they reach in Year 2?
<hr />
<h2>3. Washington Mystics (19-12) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at LVA, Thu. at LVA, Sat vs. LAS</li>
</ul>
With Sunday’s 95-75 victory over Phoenix, the Washington Mystics matched their longest single-season win streak in franchise history (originally set in 2018). The win over the Mercury was the Mystics’ first double-digit victory during the streak, as they continue to be the best clutch team in the league with a 14-6 record in games within five points in the final five minutes.
<hr />
<h2>4. Las Vegas Aces (22-11) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. WAS, Thu. vs. WAS, Sat. vs. MIN</li>
</ul>
After Chelsea Gray shined in clutch time in an overtime win over Indiana, the Aces closed out a five-game road trip with back-to-back losses in Minnesota and New York — only their second consecutive defeats of the season and the first since last May. The loss to the Liberty came on the second night of a back-to-back with Coach Hammon sitting her stars as A’ja Wilson, Gray, and Jackie Young were inactive. However, the schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Aces open a five-game homestand with consecutive games against the red-hot Mystics before hosting the league-leading Lynx.
<hr />
<h2>5. Indiana Fever (20-12) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 4
This Week: Tue. vs. NYL, Fri. vs. DAL, Sun. at ATL
After a tough loss to Las Vegas in overtime, the Fever bounced back to win at Chicago to come away with a 1-1 split on the week. Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 27 points in the win for her 16th consecutive game with at least 20 points. This is a WNBA record for the longest such streak in a single season, breaking A’ja Wilson’s run of 15 straight in 2024. However, Wilson still has the longest streak spanning multiple seasons (20). Can Mitchell inch closer to that mark this week as Indy faces New York, Dallas and Atlanta? 
<hr />
<h2>6. New York Liberty (20-13) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at IND, Thu. vs LAS, Sat. at CON</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_268603" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268603" class="wp-image-268603" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="647" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-300x216.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-1024x736.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-768x552.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-1536x1104.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2289757628-2048x1473.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty</div>
New York put up a perfect 3-0 week — albeit with two wins over the playoff-eliminated Storm and one against an Aces squad resting its stars — to improve to 7-1 over its last eight games. The Liberty are gaining momentum at the right time, bouncing back from a rough 2-8 stretch spanning a month from mid-June to mid-July. The Liberty will look to continue their upswing when they face the Fever, Sparks and Sun this week.
<hr />
<h2>7. Atlanta Dream (19-12) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs TOR, Thu. at CON, Sun. vs. IND</li>
</ul>
Atlanta entered last week riding a five-game win streak, but went just 1-2 with losses to the Aces and Mystics. The Dream will look to bounce back as they open the week with games against two teams in the bottom third of the standings — Toronto and Connecticut enter this week with a combined 18-44 record — before an important matchup with Indiana on Sunday. Atlanta leads the season series 2-1 and can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win.
<hr />
<h2>8. Dallas Wings (19-14) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. TOR, Fri. at IND</li>
</ul>
The Wings faced a tough schedule and came up empty last week with losses to the Mystics, Valkyries and Lynx. Dallas is now 1-5 in six games since the All-Star break and has fallen to eighth place in the standings. Two key factors during Dallas’ post-All-Star slide have been increased turnovers and a lack of 3-point shooting. The Wings led the league in turnover percentage entering the break (14.4%), but rank eighth since (17%). From beyond the arc, the Wings rank 14th in both 3-pointers made (6.8 per game) and 3-point percentage (30.6%) since the break.
<hr />
<h2>9. Chicago Sky (12-20) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at SEA, Wed. at GSV, Sun. at SEA</li>
</ul>
After going 3-2 during their five-game homestand, the Sky have a three-game West Coast swing this week with stops in Seattle, San Francisco and back to Seattle. The Sky are just 4-11 outside of Chicago so far this season. That mark must improve if the Sky hope to stay in the postseason race down the stretch.
<hr />
<h2>10. Portland Fire (13-19) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. MIN, Fri. at SEA, Sun. at PHX</li>
</ul>
The Fire snapped a five-game skid with consecutive wins this week. The first came against Toronto as Portland improved to 2-0 in this matchup of 2026 expansion teams. The Fire followed that win with a Rivals Week victory over Seattle in a clash of Pacific Northwest teams. This week, Portland hosts the league-leading Lynx before running it back with the Storm in Seattle and visiting Phoenix to close the week.
<hr />
<h2>11. Los Angeles Sparks (12-19) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. PHX, Thu. at NYL, Sat. at WAS</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_268604" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268604" class="wp-image-268604" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="753" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-300x251.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-1024x857.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-768x643.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-1536x1285.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2287567980-2048x1714.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Cameron Brink #22 and Dearica Hamby #5 of the Los Angeles Sparks</div>
On Thursday, the Sparks defeated the league-leading Lynx to snap Minnesota’s 10-game win streak and improve to 2-2 since trading Kelsey Plum to Phoenix at the trade deadline. The Sparks will host Plum and the Mercury on Tuesday in L.A. before embarking on a three-game East Coast swing with stops in New York and Washington.
<hr />
<h2>12. Phoenix Mercury (12-22) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at LAS, Sun. vs. POR</li>
</ul>
After defeating the Sky in Kelsey Plum’s debut game, the Mercury dropped their final three games of a four-game road trip — falling further back in the playoff race. Sitting in 12th place, the Mercury are 7.5 games back of No. 8 Dallas with 10 games to play. This week, Plum returns to Los Angeles for the first time since being moved at the trade deadline before the team returns home to host Portland.
<hr />
<h2>13. Connecticut Sun (8-23) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thu. vs. ATL, Sat. vs. NYL</li>
</ul>
The Sun won their lone game of last week — a 75-72 win over the Mercury. It marked Phoenix’s final game in Connecticut, and the Sun used that opportunity to salute former Sun star Alyssa Thomas by retiring her No. 25 jersey to the rafters. Thomas earned the nickname “The Engine” during her 11 seasons in Connecticut as she led the team to eight consecutive playoff appearances and two Finals appearances.
<hr />
<h2>14. Toronto Tempo (10-21) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at ATL, Wed. at DAL</li>
</ul>
With losses at Golden State and Portland last week, the Tempo have dropped eight straight and 12 of their last 13 games. This week, the Tempo wrap up a five-game road trip with stops in Atlanta and Dallas, facing a pair of teams they have yet to defeat in their inaugural season, going a combined 0-5 so far.
<hr />
<h2>15. Seattle Storm (6-28) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. CHI, Fri. vs. POR, Sun. vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
The Storm became the first team to be officially eliminated from playoff contention. They will miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for only the third time in franchise history. An 0-3 week, with two losses to New York and one to Portland, extended Seattle’s losing streak to 11 games, matching the franchise record set earlier this season.

2026-wnba-power-rankings-week-11

2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 11

free

phoenix-mercury-top-plays-vs-washington-mystics-3

Phoenix Mercury Top Plays vs. Washington Mystics

top-plays-of-the-day-08-07-2026

Top Plays of the Day, 08/07/2026

final-0330-wild-ending-connecticut-sun-vs-phoenix-mercury-08-07-2026

Final 03:30 WILD ENDING Connecticut Sun vs. Phoenix Mercury 08/07/2026

kelsey-plum-points-leader-in-connecticut-sun-vs-phoenix-mercury-top-points

Kelsey Plum Points Leader in Connecticut Sun vs. Phoenix Mercury - Top Points

Uncategorized

There was one loud trade made during what was otherwise a quiet 2026 deadline. Guard Kelsey Plum has landed with the Phoenix Mercury after spending the past 1.5 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Plum, who has been out with an injury since late June, is nearing a return and hoping to help Phoenix make a push during the home stretch of the regular season. Los Angeles has turned its attention to the future, landing Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-rounder.
There are many reasons this deal is intriguing, including the fact that these two teams have essentially traded places in most markets at the BetMGM <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports">online sportsbook</a>. That’s how much of an impact Plum has.
In BetMGM’s updated live win totals, the Mercury now have an over/under of 18.5. There is a -130 price tag on the over, suggesting an implied probability of 56.52% that they will finish with 19-plus victories.
Prior to trading for Plum, Phoenix’s live win total was 17.5 with the under priced at -120. The Mercury entered the year with a preseason over/under of 23.5, but are 11-19 as of this writing.
The Sparks (11-17), meanwhile, have seen their live win total drop from 18.5 to 16.5 since trading away Plum. The current price on the over is -120. Los Angeles began the year with a preseason win total of 25.5.
As for the <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-championship-odds-bm23/">WNBA championship odds</a> market, the Mercury’s title price has remained at 350/1 since trading for Plum. That gives them an implied probability of 0.28% after losing in last year’s WNBA Finals.
The Sparks, on the other hand, have gone from +35000 to +100000 to win it all.
Playoff odds aren’t available for either team, though Phoenix would likely have a better chance than Los Angeles following the trade. The Mercury are six games back of the final spot with 14 contests remaining in the regular season.
Visit the BetMGM sportsbook throughout the season for updated WNBA futures, including <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports/basketball-7/betting/usa-9/wnba-402">WNBA Finals odds</a>. You can also view updated <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/latest-sports-betting-promotions-offers-betmgm-2/">sportsbook promos</a>, including a First Bet Offer for eligible new customers.

bet-mgm-august-win-total-market

Mercury, Sparks Swap Places in Win Totals Market After Kelsey Plum Deal

final-0330-wild-ending-chicago-sky-vs-phoenix-mercury-08-03-2026

WILD ENDING: Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury 08/03/2026

phoenix-mercury-top-plays-vs-chicago-sky-4

Phoenix Mercury Top Plays vs. Chicago Sky

The 2026 WNBA regular season has officially entered its third act.
With two-thirds of the season complete, four tiers have emerged from the standings:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Tier 1: The Minnesota Lynx hold a four-game lead over their nearest competitor.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Tier 2: Only 3.5 games separate the second-place Aces from the eighth-place Liberty, with the Valkyries, Dream, Wings, Fever and Mystics in between them.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Tier 3: Sitting five games back of Tier 2, only 1.5 games separate the ninth-place Sparks from the 13th-place Tempo, with Chicago, Phoenix and Portland in between them.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Tier 4: Sitting 3.5 games back of Tier 3, the Sun and Storm are the only teams with single-digit wins.</li>
</ul>
Three takeaways from looking at these tiers:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Lynx are in the driver’s seat to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs for the second straight season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The battles between the seven teams in Tier 2 for a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the opening round will be fascinating to follow and likely come down to the wire. Head-to-head matchups will be key as tiebreakers may come into play in such a tightly packed group.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The five-game gap between Tier 2 (teams in the playoffs if the season ended today) and Tier 3 (teams headed to the lottery) is large, but not insurmountable. However, time is of the essence for those teams to make their move.</li>
</ol>
Note: All stats and records are through games played Sunday, Aug. 2.
<hr />
<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (25-6) ↔️</h2>
<div id="attachment_267927" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-267927" class="wp-image-267927" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="676" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-768x577.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-1536x1154.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288660081-2048x1539.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Napheesa Collier #24 and Kayla McBride #21 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thu. vs. LAS, Sat. vs. LVA, Sun. vs. DAL</li>
</ul>
The Lynx are rolling, picking up their 10th straight win on Sunday for their longest win streak in a decade. The keys to the run:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Kayla McBride is on fire, averaging 22.7 points on 53.3% FG, 48.7% 3P, 95.8% FT shooting splits over the past 10 games.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">There is no rookie wall for Olivia Miles, who continues to elevate her game as the season progresses, averaging 22.3 points, 6.1 assists and 50% 3-point shooting during the streak.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Napheesa Collier has seamlessly fit back into a winning squad, averaging 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while playing only 25 minutes per game over her first four contests of the season.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>2. Golden State Valkyries (20-9) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. TOR, Fri. at DAL, Sun. at LAS</li>
</ul>
After squandering a 13-point lead in a loss to Phoenix in their first game after the All-Star break, the Valkyries bounced back with a win over Toronto on Sunday. Golden State opens this week with a rematch with the Tempo before heading to Dallas on Friday looking to clinch the season series against the Wings with a victory.
<hr />
<h2>3. Las Vegas Aces (20-9) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at ATL, Thu. at IND, Sat. at MIN, Sun. at NYL</li>
</ul>
The Aces won their first two games following the All-Star break before falling to the Sky on a last-second shot on Saturday despite A’ja Wilson’s 36-point effort. It was Wilson’s third 30+ point performance in her last four games and 10th of the season, double any other player’s total this season. Wilson and the Aces will be tested this week with a four-game slate all against teams in the top two tiers.
<hr />
<h2>4. Indiana Fever (19-11) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thu. vs. LVA, Sat. at CHI</li>
</ul>
Kelsey Mitchell’s season-high 37 points were not enough for the Fever to cool down the Lynx on Sunday in a clash of hot teams. Indiana’s five-game win streak was snapped, while Minnesota extended its run to 10 in a row. The Fever find themselves in the middle of Tier 2, surrounded by teams with similar records battling for playoff positioning.
<hr />
<h2>5. Atlanta Dream (18-10) ⬆️</h2>
<div id="attachment_267928" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-267928" class="wp-image-267928" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288657676-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Angel Reese #5 and Naz Hillmon #00 of the Atlanta Dream</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. LVA, Wed vs. PHX, Fri. at WAS</li>
</ul>
The Dream entered the All-Star break on a high note — winning three straight games before sending three players to Chicago for the midseason festivities — and have picked up right where they left off. Atlanta won its first two games coming out of All-Star, including a victory over Dallas on Wednesday to complete a 3-0 season sweep, extending its win streak to five. Allisha Gray (21.6 ppg, 56.3% FG) and Angel Reese (19.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg) have combined for 40 points per game during this run.
<hr />
<h2>6. Washington Mystics (16-12) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. DAL, Fri. vs. ATL, Sun. vs. PHX</li>
</ul>
On June 28, the Mystics outlasted the Fire in a four-overtime instant classic. Starting with that game, Washington has gone 8-3 over its last 11 games to climb from ninth to seventh in the standings. The Mystics enter this week riding a four-game win streak, looking to close out their six-game homestand strong as they host the Wings, Dream and Mercury.
<hr />
<h2>7. Dallas Wings (19-11) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at WAS, Fri. vs. GSV, Sun. at MIN</li>
</ul>
The Wings dropped their first two games coming out of the All-Star break before getting back on track with a win over Connecticut on Sunday despite a season-low six points from Paige Bueckers in 25 minutes. While Dallas is eight games over .500, its last win over a .500 team came on July 7 against New York. Among teams in the top two tiers, Dallas has the worst record (7-10) against winning teams.
<hr />
<h2>8. New York Liberty (17-13) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. SEA, Wed. vs. SEA, Sun. vs. LVA</li>
</ul>
Over a 10-game stretch from June 19 to July 18, the Liberty went just 2-8, including an 0-4 mark in games that featured clutch time — defined as the score within five points in the game’s final five minutes. Since that 2-8 stretch, New York has bounced back, going 4-1 over its last five games, with all five decided by five points or less. Can the Liberty remain on the upswing and improve their position in the playoff picture?
<hr />
<h2>9. Chicago Sky (11-18) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. PHX, Wed. vs. LAS, Sat. vs. IND</li>
</ul>
After hosting All-Star weekend, Chicago opened its post-All-Star slate with wins over the Sun and Aces. The win over Las Vegas came via Sydney Taylor’s last-second game-winning 3-pointer to stun the defending champs. The Sky are 4-2 in their last six games as they try to make the leap from Tier 3 to Tier 2 with 15 games to play.
<hr />
<h2>10. Phoenix Mercury (11-19) ⬆️</h2>
<div id="attachment_267929" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-267929" class="wp-image-267929" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288642692-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at CHI, Wed. at ATL, Fri. at CON, Sun. at WAS</li>
</ul>
The Mercury made the biggest splash at Sunday’s trade deadline by acquiring All-Star guard Kelsey Plum from the Sparks. At 11-19, the Mercury sit six games back of the Liberty, who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot. Can the addition of Plum ignite a late postseason push? That quest begins with a four-game road trip this week. Here’s the key question: How soon will Plum, who has been out since June 21 with ankle and lower leg injuries, suit up for the Mercury?
<hr />
<h2>11. Los Angeles Sparks (11-17) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at CHI, Thu. at MIN, Sun. vs. GSV</li>
</ul>
On the other end of the biggest deal of the trade deadline are the Los Angeles Sparks, who beat Portland on the same day the Plum deal became official to snap a six-game skid. The Sparks are now 4-12 without Plum this season, compared to 7-5 when their former leading scorer was in the lineup. With the trade saga behind them, the ninth-place Sparks sit five games back of the final playoff spot with 16 games to play. Can they make a late-season push to get into Tier 2?
<hr />
<h2>12. Portland Fire (11-19) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thu. vs. TOR, Sat. vs. SEA</li>
</ul>
The Fire have dropped five straight games and have gone just 5-15 over their last 20 following a promising 6-4 start through the first 10 games of their revival season. Despite their recent struggles, there have been many bright spots for the Fire so far this season, including the play of Carla Leite, who became the youngest player in WNBA history (22 years, 106 days old) to have multiple games with 20+ points and 10+ assists. Her second such game came Friday against Indiana and Caitlin Clark, who previously held that distinction.
<hr />
<h2>13. Toronto Tempo (10-19) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at GSV, Thu. at POR</li>
</ul>
The Tempo opened their post-All-Star slate against the top two teams in this week’s rankings, dropping two games to Minnesota and one to Golden State to extend their losing streak to six. Toronto has four games remaining on a five-game road trip, as the Tempo look to improve on their 4-8 road record and get back into the win column. First up is a rematch with the Valkyries in the Bay Area before heading to Portland in a clash of expansion teams. Will the newly-acquired Aneesah Morrow make her Tempo debut this week after joining Toronto at the trade deadline?
<hr />
<h2>14. Connecticut Sun (7-23) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Fri. vs. PHX</li>
</ul>
Connecticut closed out a six-game road trip on Sunday with a loss to Dallas. The Sun will look to snap their five-game skid when they host the Mercury on Friday in their only game of the week. That contest begins a four-game homestand for the Sun, who are 4-10 at home with eight home dates remaining in their Sunset season.
<hr />
<h2>15. Seattle Storm (6-25) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at NYL, Wed. at NYL, Sat. at POR</li>
</ul>
The Storm have dropped eight straight games, are 1-10 since the start of July, and risk becoming the first team officially eliminated from postseason contention. Seattle opens this week with back-to-back games in New York — the team that currently holds the final playoff spot. The Storm trail the Liberty by 12 games in the loss column with 13 games left to play. With the Liberty leading the three-game season series 1-0, a Seattle loss in either game against New York will seal the Storm’s lottery fate.

2026-wnba-power-rankings-week-10

2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 10

Latest

Kelsey Plum

Career Highlights
<ul>
<li>2023 &amp; 2022 WNBA Champion</li>
<li>2022 All-WNBA First Team</li>
<li>2022 All-Star Game MVP</li>
<li>2023 &amp; 2022 All-Star</li>
<li>2022 &amp; 2018 USA World Cup gold medalist (5×5)</li>
<li>2020 U.S. Olympic gold medalist (3×3)</li>
<li>2021 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year</li>
<li>2017 WNBA All-Rookie Team</li>
<li>2023 All-Star Skills Challenge winner</li>
<li>1-time WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month—(September, 2021)</li>
<li>3-time WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week—(September 20, 2021, August 1, 2022, June 6, 2022)</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://aces.wnba.com/kelsey-plum-bio/">Click here for more on Kelsey Plum, including season-by-season, international, college and personal notes.</a>