The Guru’s WNBA Roundup: Seattle Win in Vancouver Drops Atlanta to 2nd-Place Tie With New York; Golden State Sets Debut Mark; 6th Straight Wins for ‘Vegas; Narrow Wins for L.A. and Washington

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Eight of the ten WNBA teams involved in the tight chase for the playoff pairings to be set  with the final regular season standings on September 11 took the court in five games Friday night and their results plus adding one of two idle clubs in the pursuit were all affected like balls on a pool table moved around with the opening break.

The only team untouched was the other idle one in first place Minnesota (27-5) which though off all week until hosting defending champion New York (21-12) in their third meeting in Saturday’s only game (2 p.m., CBS) clinched one of the eight slots in the field.

The magic number for the Lynx, holding a 6.5 lead over their closest challengers, to clinch one of the four home court advantages in the best-of-three first round is three, the number for one of two home designations in the best-of-five semifinals by advancing is six, which is the same number to return to the newly expanded best-of-seven finals.

In the third-ever overall and first WNBA regular season game in Canada, Seattle (17-17) snapped a six-game losing streak and finally had a narrow outcome go the other way gaining a split over the past three days edging Atlanta 80-78 before a crowd of 15,892 in Rogers Arena across the border in nearby Vancouver, British Columbia.

Seattle in the slide lost the first five by four points or less before losing 85-75 at home Wednesday to the Dream (21-12), which Friday conversely departed with a six-game win streak.

The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire become the next two expansion teams next summer and it was announced Friday night by Monica Wright, president of Toronto, whose owners had called the Tempo “Canada’s team,”   two games to be played next summer in Vancouver in its inaugural season.

This one also almost got away from Seattle, which was up by double digits in the third quarter, and the win enabled the Storm to cling to eighth, the last playoff position, by a half-game over Los Angeles (16-17), which barely held off a huge rally on the road by 11th place Dallas (9-25), beating the Wings 97-96 before a crowd of 6,116 at College Park Center on the campus of Texas-Arlington in the suburbs.

Washington (15-18) stayed in the hunt in tenth 1.5 behind Seattle by rallying on the road to win 88-84 at injury-riddled Indiana (18-16) before a crowd of 16,006, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as the Fever lost their second straight and fell to seventh, a game in front of Seattle and a half-game behind expansion Golden State (18-15) which won at 12th-place Chicago (8-25) beating the Sky 90-59 before a crowd of 7,804 in Wintrust Arena

 The Valkyries set a WNBA expansion record for wins in first year of operation previously set by the former Detroit Shock in 1998 at 17 in what was a 30-game season.

The Seattle outcome enabled idle New York to climb back to a second-place tie with Atlanta ahead of playing the Lynx they beat last October at the end of decisive Game 5 in the finals in overtime in Brooklyn for the first title in the 28-year history of the franchise dating to the WNBA’s inaugural summer in 1997.

Minnesota is 2-0 in this season’s series and last Sunday began a quirk of three straight against the Liberty with the next game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday.

New York after losing at home to the Lynx on Sunday split a back-to-back earlier in the week winning at Los Angeles, enabling Minnesota to be the first to gain playoff status, and losing at Las Vegas.

In the last and other key game of the night Las Vegas (20-14) has now won six straight since at home suffering the second worst loss in WNBA history – blown out 111-58 by Minnesota – as the Aces (20-14) won close 86-83 at Phoenix (19-13) before a crowd of 10,850 at PHX Arena to move into a statistical fourth-place tie with the Mercury 1.5 in front of Golden State and just 1.5 behind New York and Atlanta.

Diggins Helps Seattle End Six-Game Skid Topping Atlanta

Former Notre Dame standout Skylar Diggins double doubled in the game in Vancouver with 21 points and 11 assists to end a Seattle slide while at the same time caused Atlanta to fall back to a second-place deadlock with New York.

While the Liberty face Minnesota Saturday, the Dream visit Golden State Sunday and Seattle hosts Phoenix the same day.

Seattle was in the playoff home court fight in the opening round when the slide began with a 108-106 home court loss in overtime to Los Angeles before winning its first game this month Friday night.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 15, newly acquired Brittney Sykes in a trade with Washington scored 13 for the Storm and French rookie Dominique Malonga, the second overall pick last April, scored 12 with eight boards but a 15-point lead was nearly totally erased.

Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard scored 21 while Brionna Jones scored 18 with 10 boards. Jordin Canada is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Before an energized crowd, Seattle, which was designated the visitor, built a 60-45 lead with 3:25 left in the third quarter when things began to slip though the Storm were still in

 front 67-25 after scoring just before the buzzer as Rutgers alum Erica Wheeler found Diggins for a bucket.

But the home team went cold almost five-minutes into the next period and by 4:21 left in regulation was trailing 71-69 on Nia Coffey’s Layup.

Howard, who had been the overall No. 1 pick in 2021, in the first quarter set an Atlanta record for career 3-pointers with 326 eclipsing former UConn star Tiffany Hayes, now out of retirement at Golden State.

“Big blocks by Ezi (Ezi Magbegor), big defensive stops by the group and just willed ourselves to this victory,” Seattle coach Noelle Quinn said. “We’ve been in it like this the last couple of weeks, so it's just kind of the same routine, persevering through each moment.”

A team known for distance with a 9.6 average, the Dream were just 2-13 from deep.

“Felt like a home game for Seattle, honestly,” Howard said. “For us to play in front of that many fans, it isn't foreign to us, but for us to do it here, in this historic moment, it felt good.”

On the Atmosphere, Ogwumike, whose Storm played last year in the preseason at Edmonton, said, “Edmonton came with it, too, last year, you know. We are grateful to be in this region. For us to be able to play the international games in Canada and for us to also be the first international game in regular season play, it shows the growth of this league.”

Golden State Balance Leads to Romp in Chicago

Besides setting a WNBA record for most expansion inaugural season wins, the 31-point triumph over the Sky was also a franchise best for differential winning score in taking a fourth-straight contest.

After setting career marks Wednesday winning at Washington, Cecilia Zandalasini matched her high with another 20 for the Valkyries shooting 7-12 from the field and had four steals while Veronica Burton, who scored 30, scored 11 and grabbed three thefts.

Reserve Iliana Rupert scored 14 Points shooting a perfect 4-for- 4 from deep, and 5-6 overall from the field. Janelle Salaun scored 15 with six boards, Tiffany Hayes scored 13 with five boards, and the team was hot from the outside again shooting 14-27 beyond the arc.

Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso scored 14 with five assists, while Elizabeth Williams and Rachel Banham each scored 15 points. Second-year pro Angel Reese continued to be out with back issues.

“Maybe it has something to do with our new goal,” said Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase of the record win streak. “New goal is to make playoffs, so we’re in a must-win situation, it’s got to come to fruition.

“We talked about a lot of games in a very short amount of time, so we talked about commitment to the recovery process. So credit to our medical staff. They are working overtime, overtime to get them looking refreshed. And we did. They’re sacrificing. They’re becoming elite pros.”

As much as making the postseason is the push for the league newcomer, the Valkyries are on the cusp of the other fight, at the bottom of a three-game spread between second and sixth to land in the three spots behind Minnesota for home advantage for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, in the opening rounds.

Golden State gets a bigger challenge with a visit from Atlanta Sunday but the Valkyries will be at the Chase Center in San Francisco, the shared home with the NBA Warriors they sold out 18,000+ every game this season for a WNBA record.

Chicago hosts Seattle Tuesday.

Los Angeles Survives Dallas Rally

The Sparks and Mystics didn’t gain ground on Seattle from just outside the playoff fence but by avoiding losses the duo didn’t lose any in the bottom crush to be standing when the season concludes.

Kelsey Plum helped Los Angeles, which had been on a win streak recently, hold serve with 28 points and Dearica Hamby scored 20 with 10 rebounds though it took overall No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers to miss a game-winning shot for Dallas, which had won at Indiana Wednesday night.

The Wings, who almost lost from the other side of being a rally victim at the finish against the Fever earlier in the week, closed with a 14-2 run.

Los Angeles was cruising 95-82 with 4:25 left when Dallas erupted.

Plum put the visitors up 97-91 with just over a minute remaining then Bueckers answered with two and the Sparks next committed a turnover.

J.J. Quinerly made good with a shot from deep with 15 seconds left, the Wings within a point.

Plum missed two from the line and Bueckers headed the other way bringing memories of games she won at UConn.

With the clock ticking down, she launched a contested three that rolled off the rim.

Azura Stevens and Rickea Jackson each scored 15 for the Sparks, while Julie Allemand had 12 points, 10 assists and four steals.

Plum during the game collected her 4,000th career point.

Bueckers had 29 points, shooting 12-of-21 and became the fastest in Dallas history to collect 500 points.

Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist added 15 points, Quinerly scored 11 with nine helpers, and Aziaha James scored 10.

“ I thought Dallas played well,” said sparks coach Lynne Roberts. “You have to give them credit. We had a couple runs, a couple double digit leads.

“They showed some toughness, and executed well,  so give them credit. They prepared, they ran good stuff,” Roberts continued. “Our ball movement in that fourth quarter, the ball got a little sticky, meaning it wasn't hitting sidelines, not everyone was touching it, we got to get better.

 “I thought in that fourth quarter down the stretch, we kind of played not to lose instead of playing to win by 15. We didn't have the killer mentality, so that's something I know we need to fix.”

As for defending Buekers, “She's a good player, she's a great player. She's more athletic than she gets credit for. She can elevate on her shot and she's really shifty, so it's hard to keep her in front.

“And she got going there, and they were running a lot of stuff for her. She's a tough matchup,  but we've got tough matchups, too. It's just part of the game, everybody in this league is good.

“She's going to be a star, and she just keeps getting better. We'll play them again in less than a week, so, maybe, we’ll do a better job on her next time.”

The Sparks next are at Washington Sunday leading the four-game series 2-0.

Dallas is at Las Vegas.

Washington Rookies Lead Upset at Indiana

The Mystics became the second team from the underside this week to upend Indiana, which is now 10-21 with Caitlin Clark out with a groin injury suffered two games prior to the All-Star break.

She also missed time early in the season with quad and groin problems after being injury free at Iowa and a year ago in which she was the overall No.1 pick and voted rookie of the year.

It got worse a week ago when the Fever lost their other two natural point guards Sydney Colson (ALC) and Aari McDonald (foot) in a loss at Phoenix.

“We’ve had a little adversity but they just outworked us and that can’t be our excuse,” said Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham.

The two Mystics rookies, picked three and four in the first round, in April led the way as Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron scored 21 while Southern Cal’s Kiki Iriafen had 18 points and 12 boards.

Citron had Washington in control 80-71 with 3:39 left with her third make from deep.

But the visitors then went cold until Sug Sutton scored just under the minute mark to provide an 85-80 lead.

The Fever got closer down by three with 22.6 left, when Kelsey Mitchell missed a layup and the Mystics’ Jade Melbourne was fouled and connected from the line.

Indiana’s Aliyah Boston quickly countered with 5.9 left but with the Fever forced to foul, Melbourne made both shots from the line to seal it.

Sutton added 13 for the Mystics, while Alysha Clark, part of the Washington end for deal sending leading scorer Brittney Sykes to Seattle, collected 11 points.

Rookie Lucy Olsen, the Collegeville native out of Villanova and Iowa, played seven minutes off the bench for Washington and was 1-3 from the field.

Indiana’s Boston scored 20 with nine boards, Mitchell scored 14 with nine assists, Natasha Howard and Odyssey Sims each scored 11, and Damiris Dantas added 10 points.

As mentioned, Washington hosts Los Angeles Sunday, while Indiana is at Connecticut.

Like Old Times For Las Vegas as Wilson Leads Aces at Phoenix

It was another big night for reigning  MVP A’ja Wilson, scoring 30 points in one of those late season, both teams in must-win modes, as Las Vegas, not long ago scuffling to just be part of the playoff field, won its sixth straight beating Phoenix and gaining a statistical tie in fourth at eight games behind Minnesota but just 1.5 behind New York and Atlanta.

The six straight have come on the heels of the rock-bottom blowout loss to Minnesota.

In just two weeks the Aces have soared from needing to make the field, to contending for a first-round home advantage to now joining the fight for potentially a semi-final home advantage by finishing second.

Of course the crowd is tight enough that any loss of momentum could land Becky Hammon’s team back in visitor status when the dust settles.

‘We’ve had some grittiness, defensively,” Hammon said of the upswing. ‘’They’re talking more, defensively. They’re kind of owning their schemes. To hold a team like that two quarters is tough work. We want to hold that focus that end of the floor and get us going offensively.

“More importantly, we’re learning to win together, before, we couldn’t get stops when we would have leads. We’re starting to win these close games. That shows a grittiness, a resiliency, a lock-in factor, that’s really important the back end of the season with the playoffs just around the corner.

On the other side its just one more setback for the Mercury who technically are still in a bid attempt for at least a first-round home team advantage situation but need to regain the earlier momentum quickly.

Wilson had 16 boards to go with the 30 points while Chelsea Gray scored 10 of her 16 points in the final period.

After Gray scored with 1:14 left for an 84-79 lead in the tight contest, Phoenix struck back twice to move within a point with 30 seconds left on Alyssa Thomas’ layup.

Wilson then was short shooting long, Phoenix got the rebound and took a quick timeout with 3.6 left.

It went for naught, however, on a weak inbound pass stolen by Gray who then got to the line to score twice with 0.8 left to seal it then extra seal it blocking Satou Sabally’s attempted game-winner from distance.

Jackie Young added 17 for the Aces with seven boards and five assists while Gray also had nine helpers.

Sabally scored 26 for the home team while Thomas, who recently made history with three straight triple doubles, had 15 points, nine assists and six boards. North Philly’s Kahleah Copper, who starred at Rutgers, added 15 for the Mercury and reserve DeWanna Bonner scored 12.

In an exchange of runs in the third quarter, the Aces went up 51-43 on a 10-1 surge but Phoenix erased it with an 11-2 run to end the period down just a point at 60-59.

“I thought they were going at the mis-matches, I thought they had some duck-ins that were too easily caught so they were hurting us,” Hammon said of that quarter. “And then when we did bring some help, they got some spray out threes.

“It was really just cleaning up some post defense and sharpening up our perimeter defense and picking it up a little higher.”