Indiana Fever just dropped 105 points on our Seattle Storm, winning 105-95. Yeah, that score stings, Emerald City. It’s a tough pill to swallow for our squad. But even with our team battling, the WNBA’s top contenders are gearing up for the playoffs, and honestly, some of their glaring weaknesses are gonna make you scratch your head. It’s a wild time for the league, and every team seems to have that one big problem that could define their postseason fate.
The Lynx Have a Rebounding Problem That’s Actually Insane
Look, the Minnesota Lynx are straight-up elite. Top three offense *and* defense? That’s wild. But here’s the kicker: their defensive rebounding is a mess. A possession isn’t over until you grab that board, right? And this issue has totally wrecked them in past playoff runs against more physical teams. Databallr says they were 12th out of 13 teams in defensive rebounding value last year! Eighth in 2024. They downsize for elite shooting and perimeter mobility, which, okay, but it leaves them seriously vulnerable. Their August schedule is brutal too, with Atlanta, Golden State, New York, and Washington coming up. All those teams are either great on the offensive glass or have way bigger frontcourts. This could be a disaster.
Depth Issues and Stagnant Offenses Plague The Champs and The Streakers
Remember how the Las Vegas Aces struggled with depth during the first half of 2025? Well, those same issues are back, folks. Winning a championship might make you ignore flaws, but the Aces are still struggling to get stops and rebound. A’ja Wilson and NaLyssa Smith are doing their part, but their reserves? Totally struggling. Their switching defensive scheme, which was the staple of their midseason turnaround last year, is now giving up a dreadful 1.15 points per play on all actions in July. No reliable wings or frontcourt depth means they’re gonna face teams in the playoffs that will exploit this, and they might not have a good answer.
Then you’ve got the Golden State Valkyries, who compiled the longest winning streak of any team this year! You almost don’t wanna nitpick, but their offense? It gets stagnant. Head coach Natalie Nakase admits their defense fuels the offense, and their defense *is* the best in the league. But their scoring relies heavily on shots coming from drive and kicks. A good defensive unit that doesn’t overhelp on drives and rebounds well can absolutely shut that down. The Valkyries rank 12th in offensive true shooting value, which measures how efficient your team is scoring on its possessions. That’s not great efficiency, and it’s a huge problem for a team with championship aspirations.
So yeah, while our Storm are fighting, the WNBA playoff picture is looking wild. These top teams have massive weaknesses that could totally derail their postseason dreams. It’s gonna be a wild August for the Lynx especially, facing those tough matchups. Buckle up, WNBA fans, this playoff push is gonna be intense!
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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