Sixteen days off, and everything is back on the line
The WNBA returns on Thursday. Sixteen days down for the FIBA World Cup, then a four-game dash to the finish for everyone.
Dallas hosts Los Angeles in Arlington. On paper, it means little. The Wings are in, the Sparks are out. On the floor, though, it matters for seeding.
The Wings (24-16) come in on a four-game winning streak. They are tied for sixth with Washington and New York. Their final four opponents all sit below the playoff line: Los Angeles, Phoenix twice, Seattle.
Winning all four might still not be enough. Washington holds the tiebreaker. Against New York, though, the Wings would move ahead.
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A first since 2023, and a roster running thin
Dallas is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023. The franchise has also set a new wins record since moving from Tulsa in 2016.
“Every game is worth the same. LA comes here and we have to defend home court. We are going to try to win every game left. Where we finish will come down to how we play over these next few games,” head coach Jose Fernandez said on Tuesday.
He may have to do without Alanna Smith. The center hurt her lower leg with Australia at the World Cup and was in street clothes at Tuesday’s practice. She is being evaluated day to day.
Azzi Fudd will not play again this season. The top pick in April’s draft, who is dealing with a knee injury, was averaging 13.1 points and 1.7 steals while shooting 39.7% from three.
Los Angeles is playing for something else
The Sparks (15-25) are 11th out of 15 and will miss the playoffs for the sixth straight year. Even so, they are on a two-game winning run and have taken three of their last four, including a 90-74 win over Seattle before the break.
There is also a career winding down. Nneka Ogwumike will hang it up at the end of the year after 15 seasons. She leaves Los Angeles as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
She says she is handing the team to Cameron Brink. “I just want to make sure she understands that not only does she belong in this league and on this team, but she is a huge asset. I am giving everything I have left in these last few games.”
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