The 2025 WNBA regular season ends on Sept. 11. That’s exactly one month from today, which means the final sprint to the finish line begins now.
Here’s where the postseason races stand with a month to play:
In The Driver’s Seat: With a 6.5-game lead on the rest of the field, the Lynx’s path to the No. 1 overall seed is clear. With 12 games to play and an 11.5-game advantage on the 9-seed, the Lynx will likely have a chance to clinch a playoff berth this week.
Race For Home Court: Five teams – the Liberty, Dream, Mercury, Fever and Aces – enter the week at least four games over .500 and are separated by just 2.5 games in a race for the 2-4 seeds that earn home-court in the first round of the playoffs.
Race For The Playoffs: Four teams – the Valkyries, Storm, Sparks and Mystics – all hovering around .500 and separated by just 1.5 games are battling to secure a top eight finish.
Running Out Of Time: Three teams – the Sky, Wings and Sun – are each at least 7.5 games back of the current 8-seed. While no teams have been eliminated from playoff contention yet, these are the first three teams in danger.
1. Minnesota Lynx (27-5)
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-201634" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-41-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Last Week: 1 ↔️
This Week: Sat. vs. NYL
Despite the loss of league-leading scorer (and May, June and July Western Conference Player of the Month) Napheesa Collier to an ankle sprain on Aug. 2, the Lynx have kept rolling. Minnesota went 3-0 on the week to push their win streak to five straight, capped off by their second Finals rematch win over New York on Sunday behind Kayla McBride’s 18 points and four triples.
2. Atlanta Dream (20-11)
Last Week: 2 ↔️
This Week: Wed. at SEA, Fri. vs. SEA, Sun. at GSV
The Dream match the Lynx for the longest active win streak in the league at five in a row as they continue to climb the standings, pulling into a tie with the Liberty for the second-best record in the W. Atlanta also joins Minnesota as the only two teams with double-digit road wins, winning five straight outside of the A. The Dream will try to push both of their streaks (overall and road) to six when they visit the Storm on Wednesday, but may be without Jordin Canada, who left Sunday’s win with a right leg injury.
3. New York Liberty (20-11)
Last Week: 3 ↔️
This Week: Tue. at LAS, Wed. at LVA, Sat. at MIN
The Liberty have held the No. 2 spot in the standings every day since July 16, but their grip on that spot is in danger of slipping. New York is fending off Atlanta – both are 20-11 to open the week – via the head-to-head tiebreaker, while Phoenix is only a game back. After sweeping a home-and-home with the Wings, the Liberty fell to the Lynx at home in the second of four Finals rematches in a three-week span. Their next chance is Saturday in Minnesota, but the Liberty will still be without Breanna Stewart, who is targeting a return from a knee injury by the end of August.
4. Phoenix Mercury (19-12)
Last Week: 5 ⬆️
This Week: Fri. vs. LVA, Sun. at SEA
Sunday’s loss to Atlanta snapped a three-game win streak for Phoenix. In the game, the Mercury shot just 6-of-23 from 3-point range (they are 8-10 when hitting fewer than 10 3s, and 11-2 when making 10 or more) and scored just 66 points (they are 4-9 when scoring under 80, 13-5 when they score 80+). Already a top-tier defense (Phoenix’s 98.8 defensive rating ranks second in the W), finding consistency on offense will be key for the Mercury down the stretch.
5. Las Vegas Aces (18-14)
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-201633" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-40-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Last Week: 7 ⬆️
This Week: Wed. vs. NYL, Fri. at PHX, Sun. vs. DAL
A’ja Wilson made history on Sunday – posting the first 30/20 game in WNBA history as she finished with 32 points, 20 rebounds and 5 assists in Vegas’ win over Connecticut. It marked the Aces’ fourth straight win for their longest win streak of the 2025 season. Las Vegas’ hot streak will be challenged quickly as four of the Aces’ next five games come against opponents at least seven games over .500 entering this week – the Liberty, Mercury, Dream and Mercury (again).
6. Indiana Fever (18-14)
Last Week: 4 ⬇️
This Week: Tue. vs. DAL, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at CON
After putting together a season-long five-game win streak, the Fever dropped two straight before righting the ship on Sunday with a win over the Sky in the opening game of WNBA Rivals Week. Unfortunately, Indiana’s run of losing guards to injury continues as both Sydney Colson (ACL) and Aari McDonald (broken foot) have been ruled out for the season – along with the ongoing absence of Caitlin Clark. Indy signed veteran guard Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract to help fill the void.
7. Los Angeles Sparks (15-16)
Last Week: 9 ⬆️
This Week: Tue. vs. NYL, Fri. at DAL, Sun. at WAS
The busiest team in the league last week, the Sparks went 3-1 to improve to 9-2 over their last 11 games following their 6-14 start to the season through 20 games. During this 11-game stretch, the Sparks have been led by former Vegas teammates Kelsey Plum (19.5 ppg, 6.5 apg, 2.5 3pm) and Dearica Hamby (19.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 62.6% FG). Meanwhile, Cameron Brink has made an impact in her first six games back from last year&#8217;s torn ACL, averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 blocks and 46.7% 3P% in limited minutes (14.2 mpg).
8. Golden State Valkyries (15-15)
Last Week: 8 ↔️
This Week: Mon. vs. CON, Wed. at WAS, Fri. at CHI, Sun. vs. ATL
Saturday’s win over the Sparks helped the Valkyries avoid a three-game skid and get back to .500 ball in their inaugural season. Golden State is set to be the busiest team this week with four games on the schedule – including the first three against opponents under .500 as the Valkyries attempt to gain some separation in the jam-packed middle of the playoff race.
9. Seattle Storm (16-16)
Last Week: 6 ⬇️
This Week: Wed. vs. ATL, Fri. at ATL, Sun. vs. PHX
So far, August has not been kind to the Storm, who have dropped their first five games of the month – all by four points or less. No team has played in more clutch games – score within five points in the final five minutes – than the Storm with 22, but Seattle is just 10-12 in those games. While the wins have not gone in Seattle’s favor, this month has been a breakout for rookie Dominique Malonga. The 6-6 center from France is averaging 14.4 ppg on 64.6% shooting with 7.8 rpg in just 22.3 minutes in August, while becoming the youngest player in WNBA history (19 years old) to post back-to-back 20+ point games.
10. Washington Mystics (14-17)
Last Week: 10 ↔️
This Week: Wed. vs. GSV, Fri. at IND, Sun vs. LAS
Rookie All-Stars Kiki Iriafen (career-high 23 points, 10 reb) and Sonia Citron (18 pts, 6 ast) shined on Sunday as the Mystics defeated the Wings to snap a four-game losing streak. It was Washington’s first win since trading All-Star Brittney Sykes to the Storm in exchange for three-time WNBA champ Alysha Clark, young guard Zia Cooke and a 2026 first-round draft pick.
11. Chicago Sky (8-23)
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-201635" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-42-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Last Week: 12 ⬆️
This Week: Wed. at CON, Fri. vs. GSV
The Sky’s win over the Mystics on Tuesday was Chicago’s only win over the past 11 games. All-Star Angel Reese has only appeared in three of those 11 games due to a back injury that has kept Chicago’s leading scorer (14.2 ppg) and the league’s leading rebounder (12.6 rpg) out of the Sky lineup.
12. Dallas Wings (8-24)
Last Week: 11 ⬇️
This Week: Tue. at IND, Fri. vs. LAS, Sun. at LVA
Dallas enters the week looking to snap one streak while extending another. The Wings will look to end a five-game losing streak on Tuesday when they visit the Fever. During that game, rookie Paige Bueckers will look to score 10+ points for the 26th straight game to begin her WNBA career, which would break a tie with Ruthie Bolton for the fourth longest such streak in league history. The only players with more are Cynthia Cooper (92), A&#8217;ja Wilson (37) and Candace Parker (32) – a trio of legends that each won multiple MVPs and championships.
13. Connecticut Sun (5-25)
Last Week: 13 ↔️
This Week: Mon. at GSV, Wed. vs. CHI, Sun. vs. IND
The Sun close out a four-game road trip tonight against the Valkyries in San Francisco, looking to snap a pair of losing streaks – four straight overall and 12 straight on the road as the Sun’s only road win of the season came back on May 30. Tonight’s game will be the second in a Sun uniform for Aaliyah Edwards, who Connecticut acquired at the trade deadline. The former UConn standout was the sixth overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

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2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 10

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Game Recap: Storm vs. Sparks (8/10/25)

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Top Plays of the Day, 8/7/2025

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Game Recap: Sun vs. Sparks (8/7/25)

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Game Recap: Sparks vs. Storm (8/1/25)

We’re officially two-thirds of the way through the 2025 WNBA season, and the storylines are stacking up. The Sparks have rattled off five straight wins, putting themselves back in the playoff mix, and they just got Cameron Brink back in the lineup. Out East, the Liberty have hit a skid, dropping three in a row, including a high-stakes Finals rematch with the Lynx. And no, I haven’t forgotten about Paige Bueckers. The rookie’s been steady as ever, averaging 18 points and nearly six assists a night over her last four.
Let’s take a look at the latest <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for Finals Winner, give a weekend preview, and I’ll share my WNBA best bets for Friday and Saturday’s slates of games on DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also find more WNBA previews, picks, and daily content on <a href="https://dknetwork.com/?source=WNBAArticlebyMeghan">DraftKings Network.</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Winner</a>
The Favorite: MIN Lynx (+180)
Normally I’d start with the MVP board on DraftKings Sportsbook before moving to Finals odds, but let’s be real: Napheesa Collier (-900) is running away with it. Alyssa Thomas is the closest name at +700, but no one’s touching the reigning Defensive Player of the Year right now. The title race, though? That’s where it gets interesting. The Minnesota Lynx now lead the pack at +180, just ahead of the New York Liberty at +190. These two have owned the top of the standings all season, but Minnesota taking over as the favorite is a new shift. Back on July 11, New York held the edge at +190 with the Lynx behind at +220. So, what changed?
Minnesota’s now 23–5, riding the league’s best record with a five-game cushion over the Liberty. New York’s gone 6–4 in their last ten, but Minnesota? They lead the league in offensive rating (109.1) and defensive rating (95.9). It’s not just Collier — though she did drop 30 in a recent 100–93 win over New York. Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams keep pouring in points, while Collier and Alanna Smith hold it down on defense (Smith’s averaging 2.1 blocks a night). This team isn’t just good — they’re for real.
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WNBA Best Bets and Weekend Preview
LA Sparks at Seattle Storm — Friday, August 1, 10:00 PM ET
Los Angeles finally got Cameron Brink back after she missed nearly a full year recovering from a torn ACL just a month into her rookie season. The 6&#8217;4&#8243; forward out of Stanford played 14 minutes in her return, easing in with five points and three rebounds. On Friday, she and the Sparks face a Seattle Storm team creeping up the standings after winning six of their last 10. Nneka Ogwumike isn’t showing her age — at 35, she’s putting up 17.4 points, 7.1 boards, and just dropped 26 in Seattle’s blowout win over the Sun.
Seattle’s still just 9th in offensive rating (101.7), but defensively they’re elite — second in the league with a 97.7 rating and allowing only 77.6 points per game. LA, meanwhile, saw its five-game win streak snapped by a 34-point barrage from A’ja Wilson on Tuesday and now has to dig in for another tough matchup. Offensively, the Sparks rank 8th, but they’ve struggled to take care of the ball, posting a TOV% of 19.5% —second-worst in the league. Look, I’m thrilled Brink is back. She’s essential to what LA wants to do defensively, but there’s no shot Lynne Roberts unleashes her for heavy minutes just yet. And against a disciplined, defensive-minded Seattle team? Yeah, I’m taking the Storm.
Lean: SEA -5.5
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Nneka Ogwumike Over 16.5 Points (-125)</a>
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Minnesota Lynx at Las Vegas Aces — Saturday, August 2, 3:00 PM ET
What’s better than a showdown between the reigning MVP and the current MVP frontrunner? Maybe a Finals rematch… but we already got that. So next up? Lynx vs. Aces. A’ja Wilson is coming off a monster 34-point, double-double performance in a win over the red-hot Sparks. She was also one of our two Queens of the Court during DraftKings Sportsbook’s July 22 promo <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2025/07/22/draftkings-queen-of-the-court-wnba-picks-for-july-22/">(you saw that, right?).</a> Jackie Young has been quietly leveling up too, dropping her first career triple-double in that same win and averaging 17.0 PPG — the second-best mark of her career.
The Aces are riding real momentum heading into Saturday, but this isn’t just any opponent — they’re running into the MVP favorite and the Finals favorite. Minnesota’s defense is no joke, allowing just 76 points per game, anchored by Alanna Smith’s rim protection and Napheesa Collier’s perimeter lockdown work. So here’s the question: can the Lynx contain A’ja Wilson? Because if they can’t, Vegas might just flip the script on the top seed.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/min-lynx-%40-lv-aces/32593377?category=odds&amp;subcategory=game-lines">PICK: MIN LYNX -6 (-110)</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Paige Bueckers Over 17.5 Points (+100)</a>
After digging into this weekend’s slate, there’s one more pick I’ve got to lock in, and it’s all about Ms. Buckets. Paige Bueckers has been everything the Wings could’ve hoped for in her rookie season: averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, and logging ten 20+ point games already. She became just the 10th rookie to ever start a WNBA All-Star Game, and she’s doing it all efficiently — shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.6% from three, and keeping her turnovers low at just 2.1 per game.
She’s been steady, smart, and adapted well. With that in mind, I’ve got no hesitation backing her to hit over 17.5 points against the Fever on Friday. Give Paige her flowers!
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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WNBA Best Bets for August 1: Weekend Preview and Finals Winner Odds

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Game Recap: Aces vs. Sparks (7/29/25)

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Game Recap: Sparks vs. Sun (7/24/25)

The Olympic Break has resulted in impressive wins with a cross-cultural impact in both medals and other stunts that increase attention on the WNBA. Players who remained in their home cities during the break had a rare opportunity to participate in classic summertime activities like attending baseball games, music festivals, and more. While previous seasons have included WNBA players throwing the first pitch at an MLB game, the 2024 season features seven players who have participated in the tradition.

Most recently, Caitlin Clark threw the first pitch at a New York Yankees game and was invited to provide commentary in the booth. While some players like Sug Sutton threw the first pitch at her hometown’s team, the St. Louis Cardinals, other players like Arike Ogunbowale threw the first pitch for the Texas Rangers. The first pitch is ceremonial, signaling celebrity status in a city, and is reported as a “good way to engage with the community” by letting longtime fans be part of the game or celebrating with public figures. 

Caitlin Clark, Sug Sutton and Arike Ogunbowale

The connection between baseball and the WNBA has strengthened since the beginning of this season with two pairs of Rookies– Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, then Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson– all pitching for their new team’s closest MLB team. In past seasons, WNBA players have also raised awareness for issues bigger than themselves at MLB games: Sophie Cunningham spoke about the Bring BG Home Rally and Title IX at an Arizona Diamondback game in 2022; Sabrina Ionescu used her first pitch at a Yankees game in 2023 to show her prowess in throwing the distance of the front mound.

Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, and Kamilla Cardoso

The cross-cultural connections between baseball and basketball are woven into sports history, ranging from NBA player Magic Johnson having ownership in the Los Angeles Dodgers to Diamond DeShields’ father being a 13-year-old veteran of the Rangers. Expanding the WNBA’s presence into other sports aligns with how ESPN’s Rachel Epstein, the Vice President of Women’s Sports and Audience Expansion Marketing, approached the All-Star campaign. “The WNBA is setting all-time highs in attendance and viewership right now, and we want to continue the momentum with an all-star campaign that sits at the powerful intersection of sports, music, and culture,” says Epstein, “It celebrates and integrates the talents of the best players in the world and these amazing artists.”

Sophie Cunningham and Sabrina Ionescu

Across this summer’s cross-cultural appearances, Angel Reese also surprised Megan Thee Stallion at her headlining set at Lollapalooza 2024. The players’ style diversity carries into their music taste, as Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull joined country star Jordan Davis on stage in Indianapolis. Similar to how players throw the first pitch, taking center stage at these concerts strengthens these players’ presence in their team’s city. 

Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull

WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

The Olympic Break has resulted in impressive wins with a cross-cultural impact in both medals and other stunts that increase attention on the WNBA. Players who remained in their home cities during the break had a rare opportunity to participate in classic summertime activities like attending baseball games, music festivals, and more. While previous seasons have included WNBA players throwing the first pitch at an MLB game, the 2024 season features seven players who have participated in the tradition.



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WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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The W in Designer '24: A Summer of Cross-Cultural Support

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