The Indiana Fever, featuring the electrifying rookie Caitlin Clark, have clinched the sixth seed in the WNBA playoffs! However, the Fever’s first-round opponent remains unknown, as six of the remaining seven playoff spots are up for grabs. Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury are locked into the seventh seed.
The WNBA’s regular season reaches its thrilling climax this week, with all 12 teams taking the court on Thursday. The playoffs begin on Sunday. The Fever are most likely headed to Connecticut, currently holding the third seed. Clark’s WNBA journey began against the Sun back in May.
Clark has had a phenomenal rookie season, breaking both the WNBA’s single-season assist record and the league’s rookie scoring record. She surpassed Seimone Augustus’ 744-point mark on Sunday, scoring a season-high 35 points. Clark has amassed an impressive 761 points this season.
The Connecticut Sun trails the Minnesota Lynx for the second seed by just two games with two games remaining. These two teams face each other on Tuesday in Connecticut. The Sun holds the tiebreaker over the Lynx. The Lynx could still claim the top overall seed after their Sunday victory over the New York Liberty. The Lynx trails the Liberty by two games but owns the tiebreaker. The Liberty would need to lose to Washington on Tuesday and at home to Atlanta on Thursday, while the Lynx wins its final two games to secure the top spot.
The identity of the top-seeded team is also yet to be determined. Chicago, Washington, and Atlanta are tied for eighth place, battling for the final playoff spot. The Atlanta Dream kept their playoff hopes alive with an overtime win over the Washington Mystics on Sunday. Chicago had a chance to gain an advantage but lost at home to Phoenix. Chicago plays in Atlanta on Tuesday, with the winner gaining the upper hand in the fight for the final playoff spot. Washington hosts the league-leading Liberty on Tuesday and faces Clark and the Fever on Thursday. Chicago travels to Connecticut that same night.
Las Vegas, currently the fourth seed, has a chance to move up to third with two wins and two Connecticut losses. However, if that doesn’t happen, they will face Seattle. The Aces hold a one-game lead over the Storm and the two teams meet on Tuesday in Seattle.
