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WNBA playoff picture, standings, projections: Surging Sparks take control of No. 8 seed; Wings back on track – CBS Sports
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We have officially reached the stretch run of the 2023 WNBA regular season, which will conclude on Sept. 10. As expected the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, the league’s two superteams, have created some separation at the top of the standings. The Aces have tied the regular season wins record with 29, and will soon go on to smash that record.
Just below them, the Connecticut Sun have carved out a big gap on either side of the No. 3 seed, and have also clinched a playoff spot. After that, though, it’s all to play for. There’s a crowded middle of the pack, with three games separating the No. 4 Dallas Wings from the No. 7 Washington Mystics, and a serious duel going on between the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky for the No. 8 and final spot.
The Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever, meanwhile, appear destined for the lottery.
As the action continues, here’s a closer look at how things stand:
Note: Two-team ties are decided first by head-to-head record and then, if necessary, better record against .500+ teams.
1. Las Vegas Aces (29-4)
The Aces tied the regular season wins record of 29 on Tuesday thanks to a historic 53-point performance from A’ja Wilson in their victory over the Dream. Wilson’s big night tied the league’s single-game scoring record, and moved the Aces closer to clinching the No. 1 seed.
2. New York Liberty (25-7)
The Liberty’s hopes of catching the Aces likely came to an end with their defeat on Thursday, but they bounced right back on the second night of a back-to-back with a big win over the Mercury. Next up is a showdown with the Sun next week, which will be vital in their efforts to maintain second place.
3. Connecticut Sun (23-10)
No one expected the Sun to be this good this season without Jonquel Jones, but they’ve clearly established themselves as the “best of the rest” behind the Aces and Liberty. They have now clinched a playoff spot and thanks to two consecutive wins remain within striking distance of the Liberty ahead of their showdown on Thursday.
4. Dallas Wings (18-15)
The Wings fell to the Lynx on Tuesday, but are still closing in on the No. 4 seed. They have a two-game lead over the fifth-place Dream and have already clinched the tiebreaker between the two teams. In addition, they are on pace for their first winning season since moving to Dallas.
5. Atlanta Dream (16-17)
This has been a roller coaster season for the Dream. When they’re good, they’re really good, but when they’re bad, they’re really bad. They’ve had winning streaks of seven and three games, but also three different three-game losing streaks. Through it all, they are going to snap their franchise-record four-season playoff drought.
6. Minnesota Lynx (16-17)
After a brutal 0-6 start, the Lynx have gone 16-11 to climb into sixth place. Their odds of moving up into the top five are hurt by their tiebreaker situation, but after missing the playoffs for the first time in over a decade last season, the Lynx appear to be on their way back.
7. Washington Mystics (15-18)
The Mystics got off to a terrific start, but have been decimated by injuries in the last few months, which resulted in a free-fall down the standings. They are finally starting to get healthy, though, with Elena Delle Donne, Shakira Austin and Ariel Atkins all featuring in recent games. It’s going to take some time for that trio to get back up to speed, however, and the Mystics will hope it can happen before the playoffs start.
8. Los Angeles Sparks (14-18)
This season has not gone to plan for the Sparks, who have been dealing with injuries and illnesses all season long. They might be peaking at the right time, however. They’ve won five games in a row, including a stunning upset over the Aces on Saturday, and have pulled 1.5 games clear of the Sky.
9. Chicago Sky (13-20)
Perhaps no team in the league is as desperate to make the playoffs as the Sky, who do not have a first-round pick in the 2024 draft as a result of former head coach and GM James Wade’s short-sighted offseason. They finally snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over the Storm on Tuesday, but still have work to do to catch the Sparks.
10. Seattle Storm (10-23)
Winners of six of their last 10, the Storm have actually been playing pretty well since their franchise-worst 10-game losing streak. It’s going to be too little, too late, however, as they sit four games back of the eighth and final playoff spot with just seven games to play. It’s much better for them long-term to miss out on the playoffs this season anyway.
11. Phoenix Mercury (9-24)
The Mercury had a bit of an upswing around Diana Taurasi’s chase for 10,000 career points, but have not been able to keep that momentum going. They’ve now lost four games in a row and will soon be eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2012. This group needs a reset and a fresh infusion of talent, though, so heading to the lottery is for the best.
12. Indiana Fever (9-24)
This has been an extremely frustrating season for the Fever, who have made some real improvements but don’t have the wins to show for it. They are five games out of the playoff picture and will soon be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season — the longest drought in the league.
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