The 'Ball-Knowers' WNBA Watch Guide: Weekend of August 15 - August 18
Just four games separate 2nd from 8th in the WNBA playoff race, meaning the final month of matchups will be more important than ever. We tell you which ones you need to watch this weekend...
It may be hard to believe but we are officially less than a month away from the start of the WNBA postseason. After a summer of great games, interesting drama and new faces taking over the league, we finally get to find out who is built to win when it matters.
We’ll be live on YouTube Sunday afternoon breaking down the weekend of games in our Weekend Wrap Show so keep an eye out for that notification when it goes out on social media. In the meantime, flip through the watch guide and get an idea of which games you really want to see and how you want to structure your weekend of Ball!
Friday, August 15
Washington Mystics (14-18) vs. Indiana Fever (18-15): 7:30 PM ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: I’ll admit that I didn’t anticipate the late season surge from Las Vegas. It not only puts the Aces in contention for a top four seed but it also puts a little bit of pressure on the Fever to not flop in matchups against dangerous teams like Washington. The narrative here is that Indiana has managed to handle the ebbs and flows of injuries and roster turnover this year but how long can they keep that up for? Will Odyssey Sims find her way on this Fever team and help them stay afloat in the late season playoff race?
What to Watch For: Mystics rookie Sonia Citron has been on a heater lately, scoring in double-digits in all but one game since returning from the All-Star break. It’s clear that, when given more on-ball duties in the offense, she is up to the task of replacing the production lost by Brittney Sykes. The Fever have managed to keep her relatively contained (13 points and 7 rebounds in each past matchup) but the obligations are different now. If you’re an Indiana fan, you’re obviously watching for Sims, the new point guard and player tasked with taking over for Syd Colson, Aari McDonald and (to an extent) Caitlin Clark. They’ll need her to perform and do it efficiently if they want to keep pushing on Phoenix, Vegas, New York and Atlanta.
Must Watch Score: 7.5/10
Golden State Valkyries (17-15) vs. Chicago Sky (8-24): 7:30 PM ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: This feels like one of the weaker matchups on paper but Golden State is easily the story of the season in the WNBA alongside Atlanta. This team, at this juncture of the year, was not supposed to be where they are. Even after Kayla Thornton went down the assumption was that the Valkyries were simply going to slide over time and fall into their expected lottery position. Instead, Ceci Zandalasini, Veronica Burton and Janelle Salaun have stepped up and given Golden State all the fire power they need to stay in playoff contention. While Chicago may look a bit zombified right now, the Valks are always a blast in a glass.
What to Watch For: After a 30 point, 7 rebound, 7 assist performance earlier this week, Veronica Burton is becoming must-see TV. While there is still substantial variance with her in terms of how many shots she puts up a game and how efficient she is, the Most Improved Player contender is going to be the lynchpin that decides how far Golden State goes. On the other end, Chicago has been a mess but Kamilla Cardoso has put up some really solid statlines lately. We said it on Ball Up Top this week but the concern is how much fight we’re seeing out of the Sky. Every game feels vital to maintaining a positive culture and that, like the Wings and the Sun, is what you’re looking for at this point.
Must Watch Score: 7/10
L.A. Sparks (15-17) vs. Dallas Wings (9-24): 7:30 PM ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: After an extremely hot run of shooting, the Sparks have started to fall off slightly while the continued concern around Cam Brink’s health has taken the league’s hottest team and brought them back to earth a bit. But, as a team that is just on the outside looking in for the playoffs, every game is worth watching. It feels like Kelsey Plum’s All-WNBA case as well as Azura Stevens’ MIP case hinge on L.A.’s ability to get to the postseason which means that every game counts for them as well as their team. For Dallas, I’m just unsure of what to expect with Arike Ogunbowale still out while Paige Bueckers and Aziaha James are listed as probable.
What to Watch For: Thankfully, Cam Brink isn’t listed on the report as of Friday morning so it’s likely we’ll get a full run from her in this one. While she’s still getting back into the swing of things from a game perspective, we’re starting to see little indicators that her potential is still there. Her five blocks against the Fever earlier in the month showed her quality on one end while her 14 points in 11 minutes on 5/6 shooting last Sunday against Seattle showed what she can do on the other. With a big gaping hole in the Dallas frontcourt, I expect to see Brink and Dearica Hamby have really big games in this one. With Arike out for the Wings, the backcourt defense of L.A.’s isn’t a huge concern but can still create issues if Paige or any other guard gets hot.
Must Watch Score: 7/10
Seattle Storm (16-17) vs. Atlanta Dream (21-11): 10:00 PM ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: Seattle, Seattle, Seattle. Why must you always have a lot going on? On paper, this is supposed to be one of the best matchups of the season and yet I have no idea what to expect out of the Storm against an Atlanta team that is trying to not only solidify a second seed in the postseason but make a case that they can compete against Minnesota for a title. In a lot of ways, given what the week has been for Seattle, I anticipate them coming on with a chip on their shoulder and a desire to show that they’re more than what they’ve been. To that end, it feels like we might wind up with a pseudo playoff atmosphere.
What to Watch For: Skylar Diggins was playing at a First Team All-WNBA level until the All-Star break and since the return from Indianapolis, she’s fallen off on a couple ends. The shooting percentages in August have fallen off a cliff while some of the defensive rebounding has tapered as well. Against Allisha Gray and a talented Dream backcourt, they’re going to need her to get back to the form she showed in June. On the other end, Dominique Malonga is always worth tuning in for especially given the run she’s been on lately. The French teen forward is the future of the league and deserves much more coverage than what she’s getting right now.
Must Watch Score: 8/10
Las Vegas Aces (19-14) vs. Phoenix Mercury (19-12): 10:00 PM ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: The Aces have been the story of the last two weeks, going from a dynasty on life support to a rejuvenated unit with the institutional knowledge of how to win championships. This game against Phoenix, to me, is the most important matchup of the weekend. Ben Pickman had a great story in The Athletic Friday morning about what’s gone into the turnaround and now we get to see how far that can go against a Phoenix team that is also battling to prove their championship bonafides. Plus, we get Alyssa Thomas vs. A’ja Wilson. That’s always worth the price of admission.
What to Watch For: Since moving to the bench, Jewell Loyd has returned to the version of herself that we’ve come to expect in the WNBA. NaLyssa Smith has been a nice frontcourt addition for A’ja Wilson, particularly on the offensive end where the multi-time MVP has long needed the help. For the first time in what feels like awhile, the Aces have what feels like a bit of bench depth and I’m curious to see how that matches up against Phoenix. In terms of starting five vs. starting five, it’s probably one of the most decorated head-to-heads in the league and in a game with legitimate stakes, it’ll be great to see them play at 100%.
Must Watch Score: 9.5/10
Saturday, August 16
New York Liberty (21-12) vs. Minnesota Lynx (27-5): 2:00 ET, ION
Why It’s Worth a Watch: After the Liberty blew a lead in the fourth quarter to the Aces, with turnovers once again proving to be an issue, I expect to see them come out against Minnesota with the goal of protecting the ball first and foremost. Emma Meesseman, the Belgian superstar and free agent acquisition of the season, has clearly proven that she’s got the goods. There’s a Jokic-type quality for her where she’s not the most athletic but so fundamentally sound that she’s a matchup nightmare even for established superstars like A’ja Wilson. Now that Meesseman has some time in the W under her belt, I’m fascinated to watch her against Alanna Smith (my DPOY pick at present) and a Minnesota frontcourt ready for war.
What to Watch For: Beyond the potential Smith - Meesseman battle, I’m curious how Sandy Brondello responds to the minutes where the Lynx go small. In the third quarter of their matchup with Minnesota last week, the Liberty were left running all over the floor, getting pinned on streams and run down in transition by the ‘Studbudz & Friends’ lineup of Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman and DiJonai Carrington. New York won the title last year on the strength of its’ size and length but Cheryl Reeve has done a great job of finding the counter to that. Now, we get to see the chess match between elite coaches continue.
Must Watch Score: 9/10
Sunday, August 17
Indiana Fever (18-15) vs. Connecticut Sun (6-26): 1:00 PM ET, NBATV
Why It’s Worth a Watch: Yes, it’s the Connecticut Sun. But I’ve been beating the drum all week that the culture Rachid Meziane is building there is a positive one. There is no quit in this team and even if Bria Hartley occasionally takes it too far, we’re still watching a team that — at 6-26, mind you — isn’t giving up on the season by any means. In the college football world, we call matchups like these trap games and that’s where this game could get interesting if Indiana doesn’t come out ready to fire on all cylinders.
What to Watch For: The continued progression of Connecticut’s Aneesah Morrow is the thing I am watching every game. Her energy and presence on the boards is fantastic but the increased range in shooting has caught my eye as of late. The thought process I had on her pre-draft was that she had those intangibles that we love about Angel Reese with Morrow being a better shooter and maybe a slightly lesser rebounder. That trade-off to me feels worth it and while it may take another year to fully realize the vision, watch Morrow now, buy stock and thank me later.
Must Watch Score: 7/10
L.A. Sparks (15-17) vs. Washington Mystics (14-18): 3:00 PM ET, ESPN3
Why It’s Worth a Watch: Interestingly enough, this is a matchup between two teams that had similar rebuilds and decided to handle it two different ways. The Sparks had the core that the Mystics have now and instead decided to trade away the second overall pick of the 2025 draft to get Kelsey Plum and make a push now with a mix of veterans and young talent. Washington, on the other hand, traded Brittney Sykes away to go all-in on the future. So why is this worth a watch? If you’re
, this is a major agenda game on team building philosophy. If you’re everyone else, you’re watching this one because it is the best collection of young talent in any WNBA game you’ll see this year. Cam Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen all at once? Yeah, that’s a game to see.What to Watch For: The former Stanford battle between Brink and Iriafen is a fun narrative but the actual matchup will likely pit Brink against Shakira Austin. Personally, that feels like it has the potential to become a player rivalry. Both are pesky, intense and not afraid to talk shit. On the other end, Sonia Citron gets a shot at Kelsey Plum in a fun backcourt head-to-head. More than anything else, you’re watching for fireworks. If both teams are connecting on their shots this may has the potential to be one of the more entertaining games of the regular season.
Must Watch Score: 8/10
Dallas Wings (9-24) vs. Las Vegas Aces (19-14): 3:30 PM ET, ABC/ESPN+
Why It’s Worth a Watch: Ah, Aces vs. Wings again. In the last edition of this matchup, NaLyssa Smith finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds against her old team as Jewell Loyd poured in 20 in her first game coming off the bench. Dallas got completely blown out and that was, notably, without Paige Bueckers on the floor. It’s likely we see her but not Arike in this game if Friday’s injury report doesn’t significantly change over the next few days. But the reason this is worth watching is for two things: Paige (obviously) but also the Aces continued run of success. They simply can’t afford to drop any games the rest of the way and that, to me, makes smaller tier matchups like this have some degree of stakes.
What to Watch For: If anything, this feels like a statpad game for A’ja Wilson and I don’t mean that in a pejorative sense. With Napheesa Collier still out of the Minnesota lineup, there is room for players to make up ground in the MVP race. While I still think Phee is the frontrunner, it’s hard to ignore A’ja when she puts up statlines like 32 points and 20 rebounds. In a plus matchup against an anemic Wings frontcourt, I wouldn’t be shocked if we got another massive day out of the Aces superstar and continued a dialogue that’s been starting to pick back up in the last week or so.
Must Watch Score: 7/10
Phoenix Mercury (19-12) vs. Seattle Storm (16-17): 6:00 PM ET, League Pass
Why It’s Worth a Watch: This game is going to be even more important for both teams regardless of result on Friday. What makes this part of the year fun is that the standings are so condensed that every single matchup carries more stakes than the last. For both of these teams, it’s a big narrative game going into a Monday in which there are no games and thus, plenty of time for us to fill the airwaves with takes and opinions. Seattle can’t afford to drop two straight over the course of this weekend and Phoenix really needs two wins to prove that they’re more than just a conference semifinal type of team. Beyond the basketball, these are the games that build conversation over the airwaves and, for the sake of the W, the more we get of them the better.
What to Watch For: I’m curious to see how the speed and pace that Phoenix plays with affects Seattle at this point in the year. Greer made the point on the podcast this week that the Storm just look, well, kind of tired. It makes sense considering there are a lot of collective miles between Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike and now Brittney Sykes. I expect to see some healthy doses of Dominique Malonga in this one and it wouldn’t surprise me if she emerges as the X-Factor against Phoenix specifically. But the big question is if anyone on the Storm has the ability to stop the runaway train that’s been Alyssa Thomas these last couple weeks.
Must Watch Score: 7.5/10
Atlanta Dream (21-11) vs. Golden State Valkyries (17-15): 8:30 PM ET, NBATV
Why It’s Worth a Watch: This one, like L.A. vs. Washington, has the potential to be high flying, high scoring and downright intense. In a lot of ways, this feels like the Coach of the Year battle between Karl Smesko and Natalie Nakase so I’m excited to see how they try to outwit and outmaneuver one another in game. While Atlanta has the talent to overcome the Valkyries, we’ve seen Golden State punch above their weight class over and over this year. In fact, they’ve split the series against the Dream this season, notching a win in Atlanta earlier this summer. One thing that’s been a question about ATL as a title contender is dropping the games they’re favored to win and a game like this fits neatly into that category.
What to Watch For: Ceci Zandalasini and Janelle Salaun have been terrorizing opponents for the last week or two on the perimeter and creating all sorts of problems for fours and fives in the league that are having to chase them around. With that in mind, this feels like a game where Naz Hillmon is going to be the deciding factor for Atlanta. Brittney Griner is still being worked back into full playing shape after dealing with a back injury and so we’re going to see just how well the Dream can play when it’s demanded that they go small in the frontcourt. Plus, Veronica Burton has a great chance to cement an MIP case against Allisha Gray, who can continue to make her MVP push with another potentially great performance.
Must Watch Score: 7.5/10
Monday, August 18
No Games
If You Can Only Watch One Game A Day…
Friday, August 15 - Las Vegas Aces (19-14) vs. Phoenix Mercury (19-12): 10:00 PM ET, ION
Saturday, August 16 - New York Liberty (21-12) vs. Minnesota Lynx (27-5): 2:00 ET, ION
Sunday, August 17 - Phoenix Mercury (19-12) vs. Seattle Storm (16-17): 6:00 PM ET, League Pass
Honorable Mentions -
Friday, August 15 - Washington Mystics (14-18) vs. Indiana Fever (18-15): 7:30 PM ET, ION
Sunday, August 17 - Atlanta Dream (21-11) vs. Golden State Valkyries (17-15): 8:30 PM ET, NBATV