Lynx Clinch Playoff Spot With a Month to Spare

Did someone share this email with you? Get daily women’s basketball updates straight to your inbox. Sign up here!

What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. Lynx Punch Their Ticket 🎟️

With Indiana’s loss to Dallas on Tuesday, the Minnesota Lynx became the first team to clinch a 2025 playoff berth, more than a month before the postseason tips off. (Sports Illustrated)

WHY IT MATTERS: At 27–5, Minnesota owns the best record in the league and is 6.5 games ahead of second-place New York. They’ve been dominant from day one, and even with Napheesa Collier sidelined for at least two weeks, the Lynx have won three straight. Clinching this early is rare, and it’s a loud message to every title contender: the road to the championship runs through them.

2. Fight for Remaining Playoff Spots Heats Up🔥

Outside of Minnesota’s locked-up berth, the other seven playoff spots are still up for grabs. The race is especially tight for those battling for the lower seeds.

WHY IT MATTERS: Just 3.5 games separate the 5th-seeded Las Vegas Aces from the 10th-seeded Washington Mystics, with Indiana, Golden State, Seattle, and LA all in the mix. With just over a month to go, every game is now must-win.

👉 See how the standings look now

3. Our Most Improved Player Shortlist 🏆

In our opinion, three names are leading the 2025 Most Improved Player race: Veronica Burton (Valkyries), Allisha Gray (Dream), and Azurá Stevens (Sparks).

• Veronica Burton - Went from one start last year in Connecticut to starting all 31 games for Golden State. She’s posting career-highs in points (10.6), rebounds (4.3), and assists (5.2) while running the Valks’ offense.

• Allisha Gray - In her ninth season, the three-time All-Star is having her best year yet, leading Atlanta in scoring (18.9 PPG) and pushing the Dream to 3rd in the standings.

• Azurá Stevens - An injury comeback story turned breakout season: shooting 42.4% from three, boosting her scoring to 14.5 PPG, and grabbing 8.2 boards a game.

WHY IT MATTERS: The MIP award should be considered one of the league’s most prestigious honors because it reflects that rare, significant leap in a league where it’s extremely hard to even make a roster spot. The WNBA is an entirely different level from college and success there doesn’t guarantee success in the pros. For these three to not only adapt but elevate their games at this level to this degree is remarkable.