Our Seattle Storm are stuck in a brutal spot with a 6-23 record, way out of the WNBA playoff picture right now. But elsewhere in the league, the race for the final postseason spots feels like it is pretty much locked down, even with weeks left to play before the regular season wraps up on Thursday, September 24. We are seeing a clear divide between the top eight teams and everyone else, making a late surge almost impossible for those on the outside looking in.
The Top Eight are Pulling Away, But Three Teams Are Trying to Crash the Party
The top of the standings is looking pretty solid after the All-Star break. You have the Minnesota Lynx leading the pack at 22-6, followed by the Golden State Valkyries (19-8), Las Vegas Aces (18-8), and Dallas Wings (18-9). Then there is the Indiana Fever (17-10), Atlanta Dream (16-10), New York Liberty (15-12), and the Washington Mystics (14-12) rounding out that crucial playoff field. The big question has been whether the Portland Fire, Los Angeles Sparks, or Toronto Tempo could actually infiltrate that top eight. Remember, over a month ago, analyst Beckett Harrison suggested these three should just embrace the 2027 WNBA Draft lottery rather than chase a premature playoff spot. He called it, too, because all three teams have seen their winning percentages drop since then.
Portland’s Playoff Paradox: Are They Tanking With Style?
Talk about an interesting turn! While the Fire, Tempo, and Sparks were once neck and neck, the Fire have actually leaped to the No. 9 seed at 11-16, putting them ahead of the Sparks and Tempo, who both sit at 10-16. That means Portland is five games under .500, while LA and Toronto are six games under. The Fire appear to be totally clear-eyed about their situation, understanding that building slowly and steadily might pay off bigger later. How clear-eyed? No player averages more than Bridget Carleton’s 30 minutes a night, even though she was just repping them at the All-Star 3PT Contest. It would be wild if the Fire suddenly abandoned that principle to chase a postseason berth, even if they would love to snag a win against the Las Vegas Aces in their next game.
In contrast to Portland’s calm approach, both LA and Toronto are still rocking that “postseason-or-bust” vibe, even though injuries have been a convenient excuse for their rough play before the All-Star break. The Sparks, in particular, looked like they were already waving the white flag, even dismissing general manager Raegan Pebley! They limped into the break with five straight losses. Kelsey Plum doing individual work during their first post-All-Star practice is a good sign, so maybe her return is not far off. But it feels like a long shot for either of them.
The playoff picture for the WNBA feels pretty set in stone, especially for our Storm who are looking toward next season. The Fire take on the Las Vegas Aces tonight at 10 p.m. ET, and it will be interesting to see if their big-picture strategy continues to play out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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