There are no games today as the league heads into All-Star Weekend. But yesterday’s slate deserves a full look before the break as we had six games worth talking about.
Minnesota Lynx 86, Seattle Storm 76
The story of the day, and maybe the story of the season so far. Napheesa Collier made her long-awaited 2026 debut, dropping 24 points and 10 rebounds in an efficient 22:13 minutes in her first action since tearing ligaments in her ankle during last year’s playoffs. She shot 9-for-20 with two threes and iced the game late, hitting three free throws after a foul on a desperation heave, then following a Seattle miss with a turnaround jumper before Minnesota closed it on a 9-0 run. Kayla McBride added 20, her eighth straight 20-point game. The Lynx head into the break at 22-6, the best record in the league, winners of seven straight.
Seattle made it interesting, cutting a Minnesota lead down to one late before the Lynx pulled away. Flau’jae Johnson scored five points in 19 seconds during Seattle’s push. The Storm still head to the break at 6-23.
Phoenix Mercury 86, Los Angeles Sparks 82
Alyssa Thomas recorded her 20th career regular season triple-double and Kahleah Copper scored 21 as Phoenix snapped its skid and knocked off the Sparks. LA shot just 40 percent from the field and lost the paint battle 54-36, extending its own losing streak to five games - the longest of the season for a team now sitting at 10-16 and staring down a sixth straight year outside the playoffs if things don’t turn around fast. Phoenix heads into the break at 10-18.
New York Liberty 95, Chicago Sky 94
An absolute classic. Chicago led by 12 in the final five minutes before New York erased it entirely. Sabrina Ionescu scored nine of her 29 points in the final minute alone - a contested three from the corner falling out of bounds, another three right behind it, then a three-point play with 15.1 seconds left to tie the game at 94. Jonquel Jones made the go-ahead free throw with 3.4 seconds on the clock after Kamilla Cardoso missed a potential go-ahead layup and fouled her. Ionescu finished 8-for-11 with five threes and was perfect from the line. Breanna Stewart added 20 with nine boards as Jones had 14 and 10.
Chicago’s Sydney Taylor was the story on the other side - a career-high 31 points, and a three that pushed the Sky’s lead to 84-72 with 5:30 to go before New York’s furious response. Courtney Vandersloot added 14, Cardoso had 10.
A heartbreaking way to head into the break, but a genuine signature performance from Taylor.
Washington Mystics 100, Las Vegas Aces 99
The upset of the day. A’ja Wilson dropped 38 on a 12-for-16 shooting night, 12-for-13 from the line, seven boards, five assists, three steals and two blocks - and it still wasn’t enough. Vegas led 91-82 with under four minutes to play before Shakira Austin took over, scoring 16 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter and repeatedly finishing through contact. Washington outscored Las Vegas 29-21 in the final period. Michaela Onyenwere hit a 25-footer to cut the deficit to one during a 12-3 Mystics run, and Austin capped it with a putback layup through a foul with 12.8 seconds left for the go-ahead three-point play. Chelsea Gray’s potential game-winning three at the buzzer missed. All five Washington starters scored in double figures - Austin, Sonia Citron with 20, Lauren Betts with 13, Kiki Iriafen with 12 and Onyenwere with 10.
Indiana Fever 123, Connecticut Sun 88
Caitlin Clark went for 27 points and 11 assists, Kelsey Mitchell added 23 - her tenth straight game with at least 20 points and three threes - and Aliyah Boston chipped in 22 as Indiana set the mark for most points in a single game in team history. Monique Billings and Tyasha Harris each added 12 off the bench as the Fever shot 62 percent from the field and made 11 of 22 from three, building a 70-46 halftime lead that stands as the biggest half in franchise history. It was the third-highest scoring output in league history without overtime.
Connecticut was without Brittney Griner and Aaliyah Edwards, and it showed. Diamond Miller led the Sun with 15, Saniya Rivers added 13 and Olivia Nelson-Ododa chipped in 11 as Connecticut tried in vain to keep pace in a losing effort.
The night wasn’t without its moments. Clark picked up her seventh technical foul of the season jawing with Rivers, putting her one technical away from an automatic one-game suspension. Something I’m sure she’ll promptly accomplish as the second half resumes.
Dallas Wings 101, Portland Fire 97
Jessica Shepard posted a triple-double - 18 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists - as Dallas held off a late Portland rally to head into the break at 18-9, winners of seven of their last eight. Arike Ogunbowale scored all 24 of her points in the second half after getting shut out in the opening two quarters. Paige Bueckers returned from her one-game absence following Sunday’s head collision to add 21. Portland’s Megan DiLeo - formerly Megan Gustafson, married over the weekend - led the Fire with 21 points in her first game under her new name. Maddy Siegrist and Azzi Fudd each chipped in for Dallas as the Wings survived a 7-0 Portland run in the final minute.
The WNBA All-Star Game is Saturday 7/25 and we’ll have some coverage for you on Friday.
The regular season action returns Tuesday 7/28.
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We’re 42-25 for +18.40 units in the WNBA this season and 26-13 for +14.78 units in July alone!
The All-Star break is a great clean-slate moment to jump in before the second half gets rolling.
