NFL
By: Stephen PridGeon-Garner
The WNBA’s plot continues to thicken as we inch closer to the finish line of the regular season.
Heading into play today, just two games separate seeds one through three (CHI, LVA, CON), seeds four and five (SEA, WAS) are tied, then seeds seven through 10 (ATL, NYL, PHX, LAS) are separated by just one game, with Minnesota a game and a half behind now after last night’s loss in Seattle.
The picture is painted for a perspective on the competitive chaos that is the WNBA’s standings in the penultimate week of the regular season.
(Last week’s rankings are in parentheses).
1.) Chicago Sky: 23-8 (1)
Winners of eight of their last 10, including being 7-2 since the All-Star break, the Sky have been humming. In this stretch, they’ve missed Vandersloot for four games as well as Parker for two, yet and still have not missed much of a beat.
The defending champions just continue to find ways to win, regardless of the look and feel of it at times, and that is a flow that is certainly translatable to the variance that a playoffs stage provides.
It remains hard to see any team beating them in a series format.
2.) Las Vegas Aces: 22-9 (2)
Las Vegas 7-3 in their last 10 games and they’ve seen their defense from the early part of the season resurface, allowing for them to enjoy successes on par with those that they saw out the gate.
Subtle rotation tweaks as coach Hammon primes her squad for the playoffs have occurred, and they are humming to a tune that can be matched by only a few (if only one other team).
Wilson and Plum are enjoying top-10 scoring efforts since the break, while Chelsea Gray’s full game has been on display as she leads the W in +/- since the break.
3.) Connecticut Sun: 21-10 (4)
Behind multiple triple-doubles from Alyssa Thomas, as well as their defense returning to form after some subtle slippage, the Sun are proving they’re once again formidable.
Since the break, they’re third defensively allowing just 78.9 PPG (as well as being third in total points allowed, including an extra period of play no-less).
As always, it starts with them defensively, but if they can continue having the multiple efforts sprinkled in that they’ve seen offensively, it certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for them to achieve their ultimate goal.
Side note: Watch Nia Clouden within their rotation. Miller is slowly integrating her, allowing her to get a better feel for the pace and physicality of the W, but she has some flashes that reassure she’s going to be a very good player in the W. The former Michigan State Spartan is sure to be an impact player for them in the not-too-distant future.
4.) Washington Mystics: 20-12 (5)
The Mystics are allowing just 74.3 PPG since the All-Star break, a stretch where they’ve gone 6-2.
They fared well in the three-game scheduled gauntlet of hosting Seattle twice over the weekend, then Vegas on Tuesday, going 2-1 with plenty of impressive stretches in those heavyweight matches.
Elena Delle Donne continues to prove invaluable, while the many dynamics of Cloud, Clark, Atkins, and Austin all chip in ways unique to their game, combining for a very well-balanced attack that’s close-knit.
5.) Seattle Storm: 20-12 (3)
The change in adding Charles to the starting lineup in place of Ezi Magbegor was an interesting one, but sensical.
It was almost inevitable if you really look at it. Nonetheless, the Storm remains as playoff-ready as any team. They have a few different ways to go about winning games, and the scheme versatility they’ve shown defensively of late in mixing in the zone to steal possessions and slow games down proves to be a weapon.
Their pedigree speaks for itself, and as they ramp up for the playoffs, I can promise you no one wants to see them.
Sidenote: the 4-5 matchup is going to be an absolutely incredible 1st round series, one that could be as entertaining as any in all of the playoffs, even in its abbreviated structure.
