The Women’s National Basketball Association is back on the court Thursday, ending a nearly three‑week hiatus taken for the women’s FIBA World Cup. With just four games left in the regular season, every win is critical as teams jockey for playoff seeding and home‑court advantage.
Key battles for the top seed
The Minnesota Lynx are poised to lock up the No. 1 seed. Although they entered the World Cup break on a two‑game losing streak, they hold the season tiebreaker over the Golden State Warriors, who sit second. The Lynx need just two more victories to clinch home‑court throughout the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Aces, currently a game ahead of the Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever, are targeting the No. 3 seed. Their remaining schedule includes games against Seattle, Los Angeles and Phoenix – all teams near the bottom of the standings.
Mid‑table teams fighting for home‑court advantage
The Aces, Dream and Fever are all in contention for a favorable opening‑round matchup. The Dream own the tiebreaker over the Fever thanks to a better record against opponents that finished above .500. Indiana faces a tough stretch with road games at Toronto, Washington and two against Minnesota.
Bottom‑of‑the‑playoff picture
New York, Washington and Dallas are tied at 24‑16, each hoping to secure a better seed. The Liberty, despite losing seven players to the World Cup, could pull off an upset. Their core of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones returns with fresh experience from international play.
Washington, led by Shakira Austin, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, has shown it can compete with the league’s best. Dallas also enjoys a relatively easy schedule compared with New York, which must face Minnesota and Atlanta twice in its final four games.
Player perspectives
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu emphasized the challenge of playing without many teammates: “We can’t use these next four games as an opportunity for excuses. Most of our team was competing overseas, they’re tired, they’re fatigued, they’ve been traveling, but every team is dealing with it.”
Lynx forward Napheesa Collier praised her World Cup experience, saying it helped her recover from ankle surgery and keep her body in peak condition for the playoff run.
What’s at stake
With the regular season winding down, each team’s performance in these final games will determine not only who makes the postseason but also who enjoys the advantage of playing at home in the opening round. Fans can expect a sprint to the finish as the league’s top talent returns from international duty and the race for the championship intensifies.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
