The Liberty, Dream, and Fever face major playoff-seeding pressure as the WNBA returns from its World Cup break with four games remaining.
The Minnesota Lynx have lost by double digits twice this season, and one of those came against the New York Liberty in early July, weeks before Napheesa Collier made her season debut on July 22. The Liberty see the 31-9 Lynx again Friday, Sept. 18, at Target Center in their first game after the WNBA's World Cup break.
Minnesota and two games against the Atlanta Dream at Barclays Center make up three of New York's last four. The other is at the Toronto Tempo, who are 11-29. The Indiana Fever also have three playoff opponents left. Atlanta has just two, and both are in Brooklyn.
The Las Vegas Aces hold third at 27-13, a game up on Atlanta and Indiana. Two games behind them, at 24-16, are New York, the Washington Mystics, and the Dallas Wings.
Seeds one through four host their first-round series, which open Sunday, Sept. 27.
New York Liberty
New York's run of 13 wins in 16 games started before the All-Star break, with road wins at Dallas and at the Chicago Sky. The Liberty won three of their last four before the league stopped for Berlin.
They did it without Satou Sabally, who has not played since late June. The forward has a head injury and will miss the rest of the season.
The Liberty sent a record seven players to Berlin. Breanna Stewart was the only one with Team USA, which beat France 97-79 in the final. Han Xu played for China and Leonie Fiebich for Germany. Pauline Astier and Marine Johannes were with France, Raquel Carrera with Spain, Elizabeth Balogun with Nigeria, and Rebecca Allen with Australia.
Sabrina Ionescu did not make the U.S. roster. She was shooting a career-low 29.5% from 3-point range when the league paused.
After Minnesota, New York goes to Toronto on Sept. 20. The expansion Tempo are coached by Sandy Brondello, who coached the Liberty before this season.
Liberty coach Chris DeMarco's team then plays Atlanta twice at Barclays Center.
The teams have met once this season, in June, and New York won 104-90. The Liberty hit 16 3-pointers that night and shot 52% from deep. Sabally scored 19 points. Ionescu did not play.
The Golden State Valkyries beat New York 79-60 in late August.
Atlanta Dream
The Dream signed DeWanna Bonner on Aug. 27. To open a standard roster spot, Atlanta waived guards Jaylyn Sherrod and Aaliyah Nye. ESPN reported her prorated contract at about $116,000.
Her path there ran through Atlanta. The Dream beat the Phoenix Mercury 99-89 on Aug. 22, eliminating them. Two days later, the 39-year-old forward agreed to a buyout.
In 37 games with Phoenix, 26 of them starts, Bonner averaged 10.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. She has two championships and six All-Star selections. No one else in league history has won Sixth Player of the Year three times, and nobody has more career postseason rebounds.
Atlanta lost 101-83 to the Portland Fire on Aug. 28 with Bonner sitting out for rest. She debuted two days later against Minnesota and had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 17 minutes off the bench. The Dream won 89-81.
Dream coach Karl Smesko said Bonner's length gives Atlanta defensive versatility.
"She gave us a calming presence out there," Smesko said in his postgame availability. "It was great to see her out there in a Dream uniform, and I think you can see that she's going to be a big benefit to us down the stretch here."
Dream guard Jordin Canada said Bonner's arrival helped Atlanta recover from the Portland loss.
"DB coming in, as soon as she got here using her voice and that vet leadership is something that we definitely needed to give us that edge," Canada said.
Angel Reese grabbed 26 rebounds against the Los Angeles Sparks in August, a WNBA single-game record. She, Allisha Gray, and Rhyne Howard all made the All-Star team, and the three of them start with Canada and Naz Hillmon.
The Dream are in the playoffs for a fourth straight year and are still looking for the franchise's first championship. Their 2025 season ended in the first round, when Indiana beat them 2-1.
Atlanta gets the Connecticut Sun, who are 10-30, and Chicago, which is 15-25, before the trip to Brooklyn.
Indiana Fever
The Fever play in Toronto on Friday and host Washington two days later. Minnesota comes to Indianapolis on Sept. 22, and the two teams meet again in Minneapolis on Sept. 24 to close the regular season.
Atlanta and Indiana split their season series, which sends the tie to record against teams at .500 or better. The Dream have the edge there, so the Fever are listed fifth.
Washington and Minnesota both have winning records, and Indiana plays the Lynx twice. If the Fever catch Las Vegas, they win that tie because they took the season series from the Aces.
Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston both played for Team USA in Berlin. Fever coach Stephanie White was an assistant on the U.S. staff.
In August, Kelsey Mitchell pushed her streak of 20-point games to a WNBA-record 21. She scored 37 that night, but Dallas won 91-85.
Indiana's regular season ends Sept. 24 at Target Center.
