The biggest victors in the WNBA last weekend were the Seattle Storm, as the fifth-place contenders took down the last two league champions to record six wins in their last seven games.
The Storm first took down 2022 and 2023 champs Las Vegas 90-83 on Friday before toppling reigning title-winners New York 89-79 on Sunday.
Guard Skylar Diggins and forward Nneka Ogwumike powered Seattle's two games, putting up 44 and 51 points, respectively, over the weekend.
Forward Gabby Williams also helped fuel the Storm's weekend with two double-double performances.
Seattle is now just one game behind the similarly surging fourth-place Atlanta Dream, while trailing the red-hot No. 3 Phoenix Mercury by 1.5 games.
"Staying ready is what the group is," Storm head coach Noelle Quinn told reporters on Friday. "They're professionals, they're vets."
Teams at the top of the WNBA standings aren't the only squads that saw weekend success, as the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries snagged their second win in a row with Sunday's 87-63 thrashing of the last-place Connecticut Sun.
Despite registering Friday losses, both No. 7 Las Vegas and the No. 9 Washington Mystics finished the weekend on a high note, earning big Sunday wins over the No. 8 Indiana Fever and No. 12 Dallas Wings, respectively.
How to watch the Seattle Storm this week
The Storm will suit back up for another tricky WNBA test on Tuesday, when Seattle hosts the always-dangerous Indiana Fever at 10 PM ET.
The game will air live on NBA TV.
The reigning champion New York Liberty battled through injury and absences over the weekend, narrowly retaining their second-place spot in the WNBA standings despite seeing their losing streak extend to two games with Sunday's 89-79 stumble against the Seattle Storm.
Already missing starting guard Leonie Fiebich, who is overseas competing at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament, the Liberty also played without center Jonquel Jones and guard Sabrina Ionescu.
While Ionescu is day-to-day with a neck issue, Jones will miss four to six weeks of action due to an ankle injury, the team announced on Saturday.
Despite dropping three of their last four matchups, the champs appear to be taking their recent downturn in stride.
"This isn't going to be the hardest thing that we face all season," said forward Breanna Stewart after Sunday's loss. "We have to kind of embrace the adversity a little bit, whether it's we're down players or things happen in the middle of the game."
New York wasn't the only team in trouble this weekend, though, as the Indiana Fever followed up last Thursday's stumble against the Golden State Valkyries with an 89-81 Sunday loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark is now one-for-17 from behind the arc in her last two games, as Indiana struggles to break out of their eighth-place standing.
How to watch the New York Liberty this week
New York will hope for added firepower in order to snap their losing streak on Wednesday, when they'll face a rising Golden State squad at 10 PM ET.
Coverage of the game will air live on WNBA League Pass.
Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.
The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.
Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.
Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.
Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.
Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.
How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend
Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.
Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.
In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.
A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.
Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.
- No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
- No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
- No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.
Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.
The third-place Atlanta Dream are storming up the WNBA standings, winning their last three games by an average margin of 23.6 points after routing the Washington Mystics 89-56 on Sunday.
Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard opened the weekend by tying the WNBA record for three-pointers made in a single game, recording nine baskets from behind the arc as the Dream took down the Chicago Sky 88-70 on Friday.
Offseason pick-up Brittney Griner has also been busy, passing WNBA legend Lisa Leslie for No. 2 on the league's all-time career blocks list following this weekend's Atlanta victories.
While the Dream have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, a few key roster additions plus a new coaching hire have Atlanta entertaining a shot at a first-ever championship bid.
The momentum shift has largely been on offense, with the Dream hitting a franchise-record 18 three-pointers while guard Allisha Gray put up a career-high 32 points on Sunday.
Also quietly climbing the WNBA's ranks is the only other team currently on a three-game winning streak, the Golden State Valkyries.
Bolstered by a 76-70 Saturday win over the always-dangerous Seattle Storm, the 2025 expansion side secured a 5-5 season record to claim sixth place on the league table this weekend.
How to watch the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday
Nearly the entire league is in action on Tuesday, as 12 of the 13 teams will face off on WNBA courts.
The Dream will have their work cut out for them as they face the 2024 champion Liberty at 7 PM ET, taking on a New York side eager to bounce back from their first 2025 loss.
As for the Valkyries, Golden State will visit Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings at 8 PM ET.
Both games will air live on WNBA League Pass.
After making progress at practice this week, injured Indiana superstar Caitlin Clark is set to return to the WNBA court against the undefeated New York Liberty this Saturday.
The Fever hope her return from injury will provide a much-needed burst of energy to a skidding Indiana side.
Struggling to find results without their central playmaker, the seventh-place Fever has fallen to 4-5 on the season. This follows Tuesday's steep 77-58 loss to the third-place Atlanta Dream.
For Indiana, the opportunity for a high-profile win against the reigning WNBA champions looms on Saturday. With Clark, the Fever could flip the script on their recent struggles by beating the best of the best.
- No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 7 Indiana Fever, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): The undefeated champs take on an early-season playoff favorite, with the key to Indiana's victory chances resting in large part on Clark's availability.
- No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Golden State Valkyries, Saturday at 8:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Both Seattle and Golden State enter the weekend on multi-game winning streaks, with each team looking to separate themselves from the pack as the race for the Western Conference spot in the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup narrows.
- No. 4 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 6 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 6 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Mercury will meet their match in an Aces squad struggling to keep up with league's contenders — a task that could be even more difficult should reigning MVP A'ja Wilson be out due to a recent head injury.
Injury returns could define the next few weeks of WNBA play, with no team happier to see their roster whole again than the currently Clark-less Fever.
Dallas will take aim at their second win of the 2025 season against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night, with the Wings hoping that the return of starting point guard Paige Bueckers gives them a much-needed boost out of last place in the WNBA standings.
Bueckers missed a total of four games — three in concussion protocol following the Wings' May 29th loss to Chicago, plus one game due to illness — but doctors cleared the 2025 No. 1 draft pick to play earlier this week.
"She's been working behind the scenes and so she's good to go and we'll be all set for tomorrow," Dallas head coach Chris Koclanes told reporters on Tuesday.
While one star returns, however, another falls, as Dallas also announced on Tuesday that guard Ty Harris will miss the rest of the 2025 WNBA season after undergoing surgery on her left knee.
Before the addition of Bueckers shifted her to this season's bench, Harris posted a 2024 average of 10.5 points and three assists per game across 38 starts.
International play will also cause the Wings to lose players, with Dallas joining several other WNBA teams who will see temporary exits as athletes travel overseas for this summer's 2025 EuroBasket, which tips off on June 18th.
Return of Alyssa Thomas to bolster Phoenix Mercury
Roster shifts have also affected the Wings' Wednesday opponents, though, like Bueckers's return to Dallas, the fourth-place Mercury will also see a key player back in their lineup.
With forward Alyssa Thomas returning to the court after missing five games with a calf injury, Phoenix will shoot for a surge in production as they look to add another win to their 6-4 season record.
Despite a strong start, the Mercury have struggled to maintain momentum with both Thomas and guard Kahleah Copper sidelined in recent weeks.
"The plan is for [Thomas] to play," said Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts on Tuesday. "She's been trending in the right direction."
How to watch Dallas Wings vs. Phoenix Mercury tonight
The Phoenix Mercury will host the Dallas Wings at 10 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.
WNBA action posed as many questions as answers last weekend, as perennial contenders like the Las Vegas Aces reckon with new challenges while rosters continue to gel.
The 2023 champions suffered a surprise 95-68 blowout loss to expansion side Golden State on Saturday, with the Valkyries stifling Las Vegas's star-studded offense.
Only two starting Aces cracked double-digit scoring: Reigning MVP A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray put up 17 and 16 points, respectively, though 2025 second-round draftee Aaliyah Nye impressed off the bench by adding 13 of her own.
Golden State, on the other hand, had a banner afternoon with three double-doubles among the Valkyries' five double-digit performers, led by forward Kayla Thornton's 22-point, 11-rebound outing.
"They outplayed us in every aspect of the game," said Aces head coach Becky Hammon after the loss. "Just really one of the worst games I've seen from us."
Gap widens between 2024 finalists and rest of the WNBA
Currently in fifth place in the WNBA standings, Las Vegas isn't the only team still searching for an identity in the 2025 season, as a clear divide is widening at the top of the league.
The still-undefeated 2024 WNBA finalists — the Minnesota Lynx and reigning champion New York Liberty — lead the pack by a growing margin, as the third-place Atlanta Dream sit a full three games behind the league leaders less than four weeks into the 2025 season.
Along with Las Vegas, the Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm, and Indiana Fever are all hanging tough with records at .500 or higher, though none are riding more than a two-game winning streak.
Despite setting a franchise attendance record of 19,496 fans at Chicago's famed United Center on Saturday, the Sky fell to an injury-laden Fever squad 79-52 to remain in 11th place in the standings.
Also struggling at the bottom of the table are the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings. Along with the Sky, the WNBA weekend action has the trailing trio sitting multiple games below the 2025 playoff line.
How to watch Monday's WNBA action
Hoping to harness the momentum of their massive Saturday win, Golden State will travel to LA to take on the Sparks at 10 PM ET on Monday.
The game will stream live on WNBA League Pass.
Hoping to flip the script on their 2025 WNBA season, the Chicago Sky will take on the Indiana Fever for the second time this year in a history-making primetime CBS matchup on Saturday.
Looking to avenge their 35-point season-opening loss to Indiana, the Sky will host the Fever in Chicago's famed United Center for the first time in WNBA history.
As for the Fever, they'll aim for a second Sky defeat without star guard Caitlin Clark, who is still day-to-day with a quad injury.
With the bulk of the league chasing just five teams currently sitting above .500 in the early standings, the Sky aren't the only WNBA team looking to make up ground this weekend:
- LA Sparks vs. Dallas Wings, Friday at 9:30 PM ET (ION): Both young squads will look to snap a three-game losing streak and steal some positive momentum on Friday night — though the Wings will have to do so without 2025 No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers, who is still in concussion protocol.
- Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky, Saturday at 8 PM ET (CBS): On a two-game winning streak, the Sky have a chance to even the score against the Fever — and do so in the arena that Michael Jordan made famous.
- Seattle Storm vs. Phoenix Mercury, Saturday at 10 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The 4-4 Storm will attempt to make a statement against a Mercury side that is still finding ways to win, despite a number of sidelined stars.
Though early top performers are leading the 2025 WNBA season charge, there's a lot of room in the middle of the standings for teams to make a statement.
While the undefeated New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx look down from the top, Phoenix and Atlanta are shaping up to be the early season's biggest players, as the No. 3 Mercury and No. 4 Dream continue to climb the 2025 WNBA standings.
The Mercury topped the skidding LA Sparks 85-80 on Sunday to reach 5-2 on the season, while the Dream secured their own 5-2 record after Friday's 94-87 win over the Seattle Storm.
Atlanta and Phoenix made some of league's boldest offseason moves this year, as Mercury legend Brittney Griner joined the Dream in free agency while Phoenix picked up top talent in forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally.
With Thomas nursing an injury, Sabally led Phoenix over LA behind a team-high 24 points on Sunday.
Griner's 15-point, eight-rebound performance helped Atlanta quiet the Dallas Wings 83-75 on May 24th, before established stars Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combined for 61 points against Seattle.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the table, the Connecticut Sun registered their first victory of the 2025 season on Friday, edging out the injury-laden Indiana Fever to become the final WNBA team to enter the win column this season.
The Sun, however, came crashing back to Earth on Sunday, falling to the reigning champion Liberty by a steep 48-point margin on the first day of Commissioner's Cup play.
How to watch WNBA games this week
The Mercury are back in action in a road match against the Lynx at 8 PM ET on Tuesday, airing live on ESPN3.
Following a full week of rest, the Dream will travel to Connecticut to take on the Sun at 7:30 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage on ION.