Two More Teams Clinch—Four Spots Left 🔒

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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. Only Four Playoff Spots Remain 🏀

The Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury both clinched postseason berths over the weekend. That leaves just four playoff spots, with five teams still in the hunt—all separated by 4.5 games or fewer. (Sports Illustrated)

WHY IT MATTERS: This year’s parity has made every night must-watch basketball. A perfect example is the Golden State Valkyries. Despite lacking a household-name superstar, they’re sitting sixth in the standings at 21–18 and could become the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their debut season.

2. Minnesota Lynx Lock Up the #1 Seed 🥇

The Minnesota Lynx officially clinched the top seed in the playoffs with their win over Connecticut on Saturday. They had already locked in a postseason spot weeks ago, but now no one can take away home-court advantage. (CBS Sports)

WHY IT MATTERS: The Lynx have dominated the league all season, but a pair of recent slip-ups against Seattle and Atlanta briefly raised questions about their grip on the top seed and home-court advantage. Securing it now gives them flexibility in these final regular-season games. They could rest their stars to stay fresh for a title run, which might shift the playoff picture because teams still fighting for those last few spots could face a less dominant version of the Lynx down the stretch.

Bonus: The Lynx’s win on Saturday also set a new franchise record for the most victories in a single season.

3. ESPN Drops Top 25 Under 25 🐥

ESPN released its ranking of the top 25 WNBA players under the age of 25. Let the debates begin.

👉 See the full 25 under 25 list here

WHY IT MATTERS: No surprise at the top: Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. But other placements may either excite or disappoint fans. The full list is a reminder of just how young the WNBA’s brightest stars are, and that they’re still developing, which means the league’s ceiling could be higher in the years ahead.