🏀 Layup Lines: Five big games

Happy Tuesday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA.

• The Dream worked the Sun at home last night, 87-62, to take possession of second place. Atlanta’s 29th win of the season was a notable one for coach Karl Smesko, who now holds the record for the most wins by a first-year head coach in league history.

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📺 Tonight’s big slate

• After missing the over last night by double digits to go 0-1, we’re now 86-102 this season and have a pathetic $2.40 remaining to wager. Rough back of the napkin math shows that if you faded me all season, you’d be a millionaire.

• Of today’s five games, two of them have dramatic playoff implications and three of them will affect seeding. I’m excited to watch:

  • Seattle try and clinch their spot in the postseason with a win over Golden State. The Storm could still clinch if the Sparks lose out, but if 35-year-old Skylar Diggins is going to be doing stuff like dancing on the Lynx’s home court, she also has to bring it tonight.

  • The Aces going for 15 straight wins while also getting 2023 All-Star Cheyenne Parker-Tyus back from maternity leave.

  • The Sky try and crack 60 points if Angel Reese doesn’t play.

  • How many times the Mercury tweet out some combination of the words “Alyssa Thomas” and “MVP” after she continues to set the record for the most assists in one season.

• In terms of a wager, let’s either go out swinging or get a little bankroll back.

  • Parlay: New York -14, Indiana moneyline, Seattle moneyline, Las Vegas -18 and Phoenix moneyline: +1307 ($2.40 to win $33.78).

👀 Standings update

🗞 Good reads from around the league

• U.S. Senator warns WNBA amid long Connecticut Sun sale negotiations (Yahoo)

• First-year coaches who have over- or underperformed in 2025 (ESPN)

• WNBA power rankings (The Athletic 🔒)

• Will Caitlin Clark’s injury-plagued season create an opportunity for card collectors? (The Athletic 🔒)

🗣 Sky drama to go

• This quote from an anonymous WNBA executive to the Dallas Hoops Journal sums up how poorly Chicago has handled things the last week: “Chicago is probably the worst-run organization in the league. You’re gonna suspend your best player just because she’s putting pressure on you to get better? That was embarrassing to see.”

Layup Lines is written 100% by a human being. I very much appreciate you reading and will see you back here tomorrow.

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor