The Guru’s WNBA Rondup: Seattle Rallies to Win on Last Shot and Fill Last Berth; Indiana Finishes on a 3-0 Streak Upsetting Minnesota; Las Vegas wins 15th Straight; Healthy New York Beats Washington

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

On Tuesday night it came down to the last game and last shot to complete the WNBA eight-team field for the playoffs, but not all the pairings, which will be set Thursday night on the final date of the record 44-game regular season.

Three days later on Sunday, either aired on ABC or ESPN, all four opening round games of the best-of-three first tier, revised to a 1-1-1 format to guarantee the under-seeds one home game, will get under way followed by two games each Tuesday and Wednesday and then, any if needed, a maximum of two each Thursday and Friday to break any 1-1 series ties.

Winners move on to the best of five semifinals in a 2-2-1 format beginning the following Sunday and those winners move to the finals for a record best of seven series, two more games, if needed, than in recent seasons.

It certainly was a night of drama with something at stake in all but one game, though the top four teams already clinched home court advantage in Round 1.

As the evening got under way, one last spot was still open, eighth place Seattle (23-21) needed to win at home against the expansion Golden State Valkyries (23-20), the first new team ever to advance to the postseason and which was trying to hold sixth place.

Ninth-place Los Angeles (21-22) at 1.5 behind Seattle needed the Storm to lose and win at fourth place Phoenix (27-16), which was looking to land in the 2-3 place on the bracket to at least avoid a potential semifinals meeting with top seed Minnesota (33-10) besides making a long shot second-place finish to have home advantage in that series.

The Sparks achieved the first part, winning 88-83 but still had to have Seattle lose and also beat Las Vegas (29-14) at home Thursday night in the overall final game at 10 p.m. on NBA TV.

Whoever oversaw scoreboard watching for L.A., had good news to report most of the night with the Valkyries up 60-50 off a 13-0 run late in the third quarter with three makes from distance to fuel the surge.

But Seattle did its own 10-0 storming at the outset of the fourth and the game was up for grabs until former Rutgers standout Erica Wheeler scored the go-ahead basket with 18.5 seconds left for a 74-73 lead before a sellout crowd of 12,500 in Climate Pledge Arena.

It was’t totally over but Janelle Salaun missed a chance in the lane to get the game back for Golden State, though she got the offensive rebound and missed a 3-pointer from the corner and Wheeler grabbed the rebound to seal the outcome after the lead had changed hands four times in the last three minutes.

Los Angeles has a chance to do the spoiler act again, however.

Las Vegas, a Tuesday overwhelming favorite in its game, romped at home 92-61 over 12th place Chicago (10-33) before a crowd of 15,640 at T-Mobile Arena to continue what is a franchise record 15-game win streak to pull into a second-place tie with idle Atlanta (29-14).

The Dream finish at 12th place Connecticut (11-32) in the league’s only game Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

Las Vegas, likely, will need to beat Los Angeles Thursday to own the better seed for home court advantage in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, what a journey for Indiana (24-20), beating visiting Minnesota 83-72 no less, before a Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd of 15,012 in Indianapolis.

The Fever moved from 8th to 6th at the moment which, if holds, avoids the same Lynx in the first round after finishing 3-0 following reigning rookie of the year Caitlin Clark announcing there’s not enough time to return from a pulled groin injury that has had her sidelined since July 15th.

Clark, though only making 13 appearances off two earlier injuries, never missed a game during her stellar Iowa collegiate career nor her first WNBA season last summer.

She is the fifth Indy player in the last month to be declared done until 2026.

The only game that had no stake on the outcome nevertheless featured the band reunited – in this case defending champion New York, which had a complete roster available for the first time since early season when the Liberty kept pace with Minnesota on a franchise best 9-0 start.

To celebrate, the home team won 75-66 over 10th place Washington (16-28) before a crowd of 17,532 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, handing the Mystics their 10th straight loss finishing the season.

New York tunes up at Chicago Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBA TV.

The season-long rash of injuries saw the Liberty drop from 2nd to 5th, a game behind Phoenix, who they could tie Thursday, but didn’t win the series thus will open Sunday with the Mercury at a time and carrier to be announced.

Despite the adversity, a lineup of Breanna Stewart, Nayara Sabally, Sabrina Ionescu, Saint Joseph’s graduate Natasha Cloud, and Jonquel Jones, all who missed time, plus free agent Emma Meesseman signed after the break for the All-Star game, makes New York a formidable threat to repeat its first championship in the 28th season of the franchise won last October 3-2 over Minnesota, taking the decisive Game 5 at the end of overtime in Brooklyn.

Seattle Clips Golden State to Edge Los Angeles for Last Playoff Spot

When the Storm went into a six-game slide, five by four or less points, a streak that took Seattle from the middle of the pack to living on the edge of disqualification, coach Noelle Quinn declared the narrow setbacks as investments that will pay off.

Erica Wheeler cashed in for the final playoff spot, scoring her 17th point for the game winner, besides going 5-7 from distance.

Nneka Ogwumike had 16 points and eight boards while Brittney Sykes scored 14 and Skylar Diggins had 10 points and six rebounds.

“We were able to say we won this game from experience,” Ogwumike said. “We’ve been in a lot of tight games to the end. Ultimately, over time we’ve been able to train that muscle to the end in what was a playoff environment. A lot of games in August were playoffs environment.  … Being in position to control your destiny is incredibly important. You don’t want to leave anything in someone else’s hands.”

“It’s not really about me,” Wheeler said of her winning basket. “We knew how important it was to win this game and get into the postseason.

“Yeah, the shot Went in. But it was a team effort. We did everything as a team to win this game.”

Seattle, which beat Minnesota twice, including on the road, will be seventh or eighth seed.

“Erica’s having a great year,” Quinn said. “It’s the threes, it’s the defense. She was also guarding Veronica Burton on a lot of possessions.

“It’s super important to control your own destiny cause at the end of the season other teams are doing different things so it’s incredibly important not to rely on those.”

Golden State’s Janelle Salaun scored 22 points, propelled by five 3-pointers, Temi Fagbenle scored 14 points, and Veronica Burton had 14 points and 11 assists. Additionally, Kaila Charles scored 12 with nine rebounds.

“It's just disappointment in myself,” said Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase. “I don't think I handled the game schematically. I thought I could do a better job.”

If Golden State wins at Minnesota Thursday, the Valkyries still get the sixth seed, otherwise, they’ll be eighth, returning to the Target Center to open with Minnesota.

“We lost, so it's not good enough if we want to go far in the playoffs, if we want to be a contending team,” said Burton. “It’s a testament to our defense, but that's who we are, like that's expected from us. But then we should take it to the next level.”

Los Angeles Spoils Phoenix Ambitions but Eliminated by Seattle Win

The help that the Sparks didn’t get off a potential Seattle loss cancelled their self-help reached winning at Phoenix before an enemy crowd of 13,151 at PHX Arena.

Even if the Storm had lost, Thursday night was going to be a daunting challenge playing Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles win, however, deprived the Mercury of the second or third seed and though they will host New York Sunday it will be the healthiest the visitors will be since early in the season.

The Sparks’ Dearica Hamby scored 16 of her 25 points in the final quarter. Rae Burrell had a personal best 20 points off the bench. Additionally, Kelsey Plum scored 17.

“We Had 21 wins,” said Sparks first-year coach Lynne Roberts. “The league is as good as it's ever been. There's not a year in the history that 21 wins doesn't get you in the playoffs. 21 wins in the league that is just competitive from top to bottom.

“I'm proud of our team for sticking together and sticking with me. We've bought in, and they're playing their tails off, and everyone's tired,” she continued. “Phoenix, LA, everybody banged up and fighting injuries.

“These guys, they're giving everything they can, and I'm very proud of that. We're on our way, right? I hope to keep this group together... I love this group,” Roberts said.

“What are things we could have done better? (Derica Hamby) pointed at it, there’s some games I'd love to have back. But that's the way it works, and what you learned from that is you can't just think, ‘Oh it'll be fine, it's no big deal, it's June. These games matter. And we will learn from that, and that will be put in our pocket for next season, when we're feeling a little whatever, like we've got to find a way....

“There's 174 things that I'm sure that I'll look back on and want to do better. But right now, I'm just proud of this group, and what we have achieved, and one more game.”[MG1] 

The Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas, the Maryland graduate out of Harrisburg, had her eighth triple double of the season with10 points,11 rebounds and 10 assists, but she and the other Phoenix starters sat out the fourth quarter. Satou Sabally led the home team with 24 points and Sami Whitcomb scored 11 points.

Of Thomas, first year Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said, referencing the looming post season awards: “I hope the national media recognizes her greatness. What she's doing in the ‘W,’ no other player has done in the history of the league.”

Las Vegas Keeps Rolling

Baring a shocking turn of events, the Aces were expected to keep pace with Atlanta handling Chicago to try to snag the second seed and the perk of the other semifinals home advantage by emerging out of the first round from a low-end opponent still unknown.

The next and last game will be more challenging unless Los Angeles is in a post-elimination funk. Las Vegas owns the tiebreaker with Atlanta.

It’s now 15 straight wins since Minnesota delivered a road-record wipeout to the Aces and in this one Jewell Loyd scored 15 points and became the 16th player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 points.

The league history win streak order is 18 by the 2001 Los Angeles Sparks, 16 by the 2014 Phoenix Mercury, and 15 by the current Aces and 1998 Houston Comets.

Jackie Young joined Loyd and four other Las Vegas players in double figures, also scoring 15 points.

Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso had 13 points and 13 rebounds while Michaela Onyenwere scored 13.

Angel Reese missed this game also for the Sky with back problems.

“The coolest thing on this roster is everyone is valued, everyone knows they have a role on this team,” Loyd said of the Aces. “You look at the score, it’s great, everyone contributed.”

Indiana Tops Minnesota and Moves to Sixth

The Fever keep finding a way and this time Minnesota was the victim, though the Lynx rested MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, who is contending with reigning winner A’ja Wilson and Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas for the honor.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 15 on Indiana’s final night of the regular season with the ultimate spinner not settling on the Fever’s seed until Thursday, though the opening round options are now at either Minnesota or Las Vegas or Atlanta.

Odyssey Sims matched Mitchell’s total, while Aliyah Boston had 12 points and eight boards and past her own franchise record for board work in a season with 361.

“The way we came out in the first quarter, was really impressive,” said Indiana coach Stephanie White. “(The win streak) gives us a lot of confidence knowing we can meet the moment at times. Every game is a backs against the wall game now. We're beginning to see some consistency. Some flow with our new players.

“I've been pleased with what we've been able to do our last three games.”

The Lynx’s Jessica Shepard, who started to fill recent absences when Collier was injured, scored 16 points.

“We just weren't hitting shots,” said Minnesota coach Cheryl Reed. “I thought Jess was good, I appreciated what she did. The only quarter we won, the second team played and we won by one. So, good job by them.”

Meesseman and Stewart Lead New York Over Washington

Leading a roster the healthiest it’s been in months on game day, Emma Meesseman scored 19 points and Breanna Stewart scored 14 points as the Liberty topped the Mystics, who completed their season on a 10-game losing streak.

Jonquel Jones added 12 points and 11 rebounds for New York, which has been 34-0 in her regular season games since coming from the Connecticut Sun.

Washington rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron scored 16 and 13 points, respectfully, while newcomer Lucy Olsen, the Collegeville native drafted in the second round out of Villanova and Iowa and will play in Australia this winter, appeared in 14 minutes off the bench and was 3-4 scoring 6 points.

“We did not know how long we’d go, it was more by flow when needed,” said New York coach Sandy Brondello on getting prepped for the playoffs with an intact roster. “But we only have two days before that first game so I thought it was important to get as much chemistry as we could.

“Win the game. We had some moments, but as you see, a little bit rusty.”

“It’s clear you win when you win the rebound battle; you win the game so that’s one of the points