The Dallas Wings just threw down a 92-70 win on our Seattle Storm, and yeah, it stings to see the green and blue take a loss. But for the rest of the WNBA, that victory over the Emerald City squad might be the key to the whole playoff picture. That win was one of two in a row for the Wings, finally stabilizing them after a rough post-All-Star slide where they dropped seven of nine games. Now, Dallas has a real shot to officially book their playoff spot when they face the Portland Fire on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV.
Wings Find Their Flight, Shake Up the Playoff Hunt
For a minute there, it looked like the Portland Fire might actually sneak in and replace Dallas in the top eight. The Fire were showing some real pluckiness, pushing hard, but then the Wings got their act together. That big win over our Storm, combined with another W, put them right back in control of their destiny. Meanwhile, other teams were locking in their spots. The New York Liberty and Washington Mystics secured their playoff fates on Sunday. The Mystics’ win over the Fire, which needed a massive 14-point comeback and a career-high 31 points from Shakira Austin, pushed the Liberty into the postseason. And then, the Indiana Fever’s win against the Chicago Sky officially crushed Chicago’s playoff hopes and made sure the Mystics were in. If Dallas takes care of business on Tuesday, all the last-minute drama before the playoffs will just be about who plays who.
Minnesota’s Nightmare Matchup and What’s Ahead
The Minnesota Lynx are looking like the top dogs with a firm grip on the No. 1 overall seed, rocking a 31-8 record and a four-game lead, even after their Monday night loss to the Golden State Valkyries. With two certified superstars like Napheesa Collier and Olivia Miles, who can both play MVP-caliber ball, the Lynx shouldn’t fear anyone in the first round. However, they definitely want Dallas to stay put at the No. 8 spot. Why? Because while Minnesota absolutely dominated Dallas this season, sweeping them 4-0 with ease, it’s the Washington Mystics who have actually given them a tougher fight, even taking a game off the Lynx in Target Center. Minnesota’s biggest weakness is size and physicality on the glass, and that’s exactly where the Mystics thrive. Even though the Lynx just clinched their season series against Washington 2-1 last Friday, winning that one game in D.C. despite losing the rebounding battle, they know the Mystics are a different beast.
As things stand, presuming Dallas makes it in, the first-round matchups would be:
– No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 Dallas Wings
– No. 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 7 Washington Mystics
– No. 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 6 New York Liberty
– No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 5 Indiana Fever
The entire league will be watching Tuesday’s game to see if Dallas officially seals that No. 8 seed. That game against the Portland Fire isn’t just about Dallas making the playoffs, it’s about shaping the whole first round, especially for the top-seeded Lynx. What happens next could change everything for some contenders.
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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