It’s going to be a wild and busy week ahead, as the WNBA enters its final two game days with six teams still vying to lock their playoff spots.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, alongside Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury, have secured the sixth and seventh seeds, respectively, heading to the playoffs but their postseason opponents have yet to be determined.
All 12 teams will be in action on Friday, September 20 (Philippine time) to close the regular season. The playoffs start on Monday, September 23 (PH time).
For now, Indiana’s return to the postseason will likely see the Fever face the Connecticut Sun, who now sit at no. 3 with a 27-11 slate, in the Eastern Conference opening round.
Interestingly enough, Clark’s WNBA debut came against the Sun back in May, resulting in a 92-71 loss. Since then, the top pick of the recent draft embarked on a rookie season like no other as she shattered multiple records at an astounding rate.
She set the WNBA single-season assist record, became the first rookie to record a triple-double, and broke the league’s rookie scoring record after Indiana's latest win against the Dallas Wings.
Clark dazzled with a career-high 35 points and broke Seimone Augustus’ rookie record of 744 points set in 2006 with the Minnesota Lynx. The superstar guard has 761 points so far in 39 games played this season.
what a day for Caitlin Clark 🤩
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 15, 2024
she drops a career-high 35 points and breaks the all-time @WNBA rookie scoring record in the win. pic.twitter.com/bp1mExp6C9
Meanwhile, the Sun are a couple of games behind the no. 2 seed Minnesota Lynx (29-9), with the two teams squaring off for the final time in the regular season tomorrow in Connecticut.
In case the two teams finish with the same records, the Sun own the tiebreaker--after winning their first two meetings. This would pave the way for Connecticut to clinch the second seed.
Even the top playoff seed is still in contention, as the Lynx can snatch the position from the league-leading New York Liberty (31-7) after their latest duel.
Bridget Carleton shot LIGHTS OUT in the Minnesota Lynx’s win over the #1 seed New York Liberty 🌟
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2024
19 PTS
2 REB
2 AST
5-7 3PT
7-10 FG pic.twitter.com/gNKQ6CH2UU
For that to happen, the Lynx need to win their final two games and hope the Liberty drop their last two vs the Washington Mystics and the Atlanta Dream.
The race for the final playoff berth is also heading to a thrilling finish with the Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics, and the Atlanta Dream all sitting with 13-25 win loss records.
Chicago plays Atlanta tomorrow, with the winner getting the upper hand for the postseason ticket. Washington though has a tougher task when it hosts league-leading New York as well as Indiana.
The Sky will end their regular season campaign against the Sun, with the Dream taking on the Liberty on the same night.
Currently at no. 4, the two-time defending champions Las Vegas Aces could move up to the third seed . That is if they win a couple of games and hope Connecticut drops theirs.
A’ONE OF ONE.
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2024
With her 29-PT performance vs. the Sun, A’ja Wilson became the ONLY player in WNBA history to eclipse 1,000 PTS in a single szn!
She also now sits 3 REB away from breaking the single szn rebounding record 🔥 pic.twitter.com/g9ouVqNHb9
In case that doesn’t happen, the Aces will see no. 5 Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs.
(With reports from the Associated Press and NBA.com)
