Lynx, Valkyries Lead WNBA Midseason Grades at A+
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- Minnesota Lynx earned an A+ with the league's best record at 21-6 — even without injured star Napheesa Collier — as Cheryl Reeve became the WNBA's winningest coach this season.
- Golden State Valkyries also received an A+, posting the league's best defense (100.9 defensive rating, a league-low 76.4 points allowed per game) and the second-best overall record.
- Dallas Wings graded at A with a 17-9 record and a six-game win streak — their longest since relocating to Dallas — powered by Paige Bueckers (20.9 PPG), the WNBA's best fourth-quarter scorer.
- Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo tied the WNBA single-game scoring record with 53 points against the Sparks in June and is averaging a career-high 21.0 points as a first-time All-Star.
- Olivia Miles, the No. 2 draft pick, is the front-runner for Rookie of the Year at 19.6 points and 6.0 assists per game, capped by a 32-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist performance Monday.
- A'ja Wilson leads the WNBA in scoring at 25.6 points per game for the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces (A-), who reached the Commissioner's Cup final but lost to New York.
- The Indiana Fever earned a B grade, going 7-3 over their past 10 games behind Kelsey Mitchell (23.3 PPG, second in the league), but rank 12th in scoring defense at 89.7 points allowed.
Why it matters: The Lynx's A+ at 21-6 establishes them as title favorites over the Liberty, whose Commissioner's Cup win masks a 14-12, seventh-place record. With MVP frontrunners A'ja Wilson and Rookie of the Year leader Olivia Miles headlining Saturday's All-Star Game, the Valkyries' league-best defense — allowing a league-low 76.4 points — poses the clearest obstacle to Minnesota's run.
