Lynx surge overtakes Liberty as playoff picture tightens
The Minnesota Lynx strengthened their hold on the top seed with an 83-71 victory over the New York Liberty, riding a 30-point third quarter to pull away. Even with Napheesa Collier sidelined by an ankle injury, Minnesota improved to 27-5 and has shown no signs of slowing down, rarely dropping back-to-back games this season.
With the regular season entering its final month, the focus shifts to a crowded race for the remaining top-four seeds. While Minnesota appears set at the top, a jam-packed chase behind them features several contenders—teams like the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun—battling for position and the all-important playoff byes. The question now isn’t just who will make the postseason, but who will miss it.
The Liberty and Lynx aren’t facing an easy path, either. This game marks the fourth and final meeting between last year’s WNBA Finals participants; Minnesota has won the first two encounters, and the teams are scheduled to meet again this weekend. New York, led by Breanna Stewart before her right-knee bone bruise, is still in the mix for second place even as Stewart works through the injury. The broader picture also includes a renewed push from the Aces, who have found their footing with four straight wins, while Phoenix continues to navigate a challenging stretch, the only club among the top seven with a sub-.500 record over its past 10 games.
Looking ahead, a set of pivotal matchups over the next month will shape the final seeds:
– Aug. 23: New York Liberty at Atlanta Dream. The Dream have won five straight and seven of eight, with eight of their final 11 games at home, a schedule that could buoy Atlanta in the final stretch.
– Aug. 30: New York Liberty at Phoenix Mercury. If Stewart returns by late August, her impact alongside Emma Meesseman will be a lift for a Liberty squad seeking consistency.
– Sept. 2: Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury. Indiana’s health questions persist, but the Fever have kept themselves in the hunt, and a potential Clark return could spell a shift.
– Sept. 5: Los Angeles Sparks at Atlanta Dream. Cameron Brink’s return from ACL injury has energized Los Angeles as they chase a late surge.
– Sept. 9: Minnesota Lynx at Indiana Fever. A chance for Indiana to test its late-season form against a top team, with Clark potentially back.
– Sept. 9: Golden State Valkyries at Seattle Storm. The expansion club has shown resilience, while Seattle looks to finish strong after a difficult run.
– Sept. 11: Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks. If seeds are still in flux, this late-season showdown could carry meaningful playoff implications.
Subplots continue to weave through the late-season narrative. A’ja Wilson dropped 32 points to power the Aces to a win over the Sun, a reminder that Las Vegas, riding a run of solid form, remains a major threat as the standings tighten. The Sparks have also shown progress in turning around a season that began rocky, aiming to climb into the postseason conversation.
Why this matters: with a month to go, every game carries weight. Players returning from injury, clutch performances, and the sharpening of team chemistry will determine not only who wins the league’s top seed but also which teams secure the final playoff spots and how gracefully the postseason field is set.
Summary: Minnesota’s win over New York underscores the Lynx’s status as the team to beat, but the race for the remaining playoff berths promises to produce meaningful, late-season basketball with several key remaining head-to-heads and potential tiebreakers shaping the postseason landscape.
A hopeful note: the final weeks should deliver competitive, high-stakes basketball that could elevate the entire league as players push through injuries, return to action, and teams jockey for position in what promises to be one of the most consequential finishes to a WNBA season in recent memory.