Power Rankings: Can the Liberty find their way into the top four?
SkimNews Take
The Liberty's 9-2 run moved them just two spots, suggesting the standings are stratified enough that surging teams stabilize their position rather than threaten the Lynx's dominant top tier.
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- New York Liberty climbed from No. 7 to No. 5 after going 9-2 since July 20, with five of their remaining eight regular-season games against likely playoff teams, including a home matchup against Indiana on Saturday.
- Breanna Stewart (20.7 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Jonquel Jones (14.7 points, 9.4 rebounds) have been the Liberty's pillars, missing only one game each, while Satou Sabally (head), Leonie Fiebich (left foot), and Sabrina Ionescu (left foot) have all been sidelined.
- Minnesota Lynx stayed at No. 1 at 29-7 after winning 14 of their past 15 games, with Napheesa Collier scoring in double figures in all nine outings since returning July 22 from ankle surgery, contributing 39 combined points last week.
- Golden State Valkyries clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive season with a 78-70 win over Dallas, moving up to No. 2 from No. 4 despite shooting just 38% from the field by controlling pace and taking 72 shots to the Wings' 58.
- Indiana Fever went 3-0 last week, all against playoff-bound teams, with Caitlin Clark posting 29 points and 10 assists in a win over Dallas then 26 points and nine assists in a 95-91 overtime win at Atlanta, moving to 23-12 at No. 3.
- Toronto Tempo continued a 10-game losing streak (14 of past 15), dropping to 10-23, while the Connecticut Sun (8-25) are playing out their final season in the state before relocating to Houston for 2027.
- Atlanta Dream fell 95-91 in overtime to Indiana despite Allisha Gray combining for 61 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists over two games, slipping to 21-13 at No. 6.
Why it matters: With the Lynx running away with the No. 1 seed at 29-7 and the Liberty — preseason title favorites — clawing back from a 2-8 midseason stretch to chase a top-four berth, the WNBA playoff bracket is crystallizing around a tight race where every loss among teams seeded 3 through 8 reshapes first-round matchups. The Valkyries' clinch extends a remarkable debut-era run, while the Sun's Houston farewell and the Storm's 7-30 collapse underscore how extreme this season's haves-and-have-nots split has become.
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