🫣 Layup Lines: One more week

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

• I have driven across the country and now have two remaining goals: Get eight hours of sleep and my internet set up before the start of the playoffs.

This 499 word newsletter should take about 2 minutes to read.

🤔 Three surprising results

• The Sparks essentially kept their season alive with a win over the Storm on Monday, but then followed it up by going 6-25 on 3-pointers to lose to the Dream last night even with Allisha Gray out. More on them later.

• Yes, Sabrina Ionescu was out, but Golden State holding the Liberty to 58 points in a win on Tuesday was an incredibly impressive defensive performance. That was the Valkyries’ 22nd win in a season where their over/under win total was … 9.5.

• It doesn’t matter at all in the standings, but the Sky beating the Sun by 24 after Angel Reese’s comments about 2026 felt notable.

👀 Playoff push

• The Sparks have four remaining games to make up 1.5 games on the Fever (three games left), two on the Storm (two left) or three on the Valkyries (in with a win tonight).

  • Unfortunately for L.A., one of those games is an easy win (Dallas) but the other three are against Atlanta, Phoenix and Vegas. The Sparks probably have to go 3-1 to get to the playoffs, though Indiana could still keep falling apart without Caitlin Clark.

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📺 Today’s games

• After a crushing 0-3 Monday where everything fell apart in the 4th quarter, we are a putrid 83-98 this season and have $84 remaining to wager.

• There are three games tonight — Phoenix @ Washington (7:30pm ET, Prime Video), Dallas @ Golden State (10:00pm) and Minnesota @ Las Vegas (10:00pm, Prime). We’re going to hit the only game worth watching:

  • Even though the Liberty are in fifth place, none of the top teams want to finish in fourth and play them in the first round. So with the Dream, Aces and Mercury all within .5 games of second and fourth place, this game still means something to Vegas — and it doesn’t for the Lynx, who already clinched the No. 1 seed.

    • Bet: Lynx / Aces over 164.5, $50 to win $44.

    • Bet: Aces moneyline, $25 to win $30.

📰 Good reads from around the league

• Life on the WNBA fringe: Suitcases, sacrifice, soul-searching (ESPN)

• Angel Reese wants the Sky to do more in free agency (Chicago Tribune 🔒)

• Fever at risk of missing playoffs ahead of wild final week (Front Office Sports)

🏅 Graphic to go

• The future 2025 Rookie of the Year has now won this award four times and is making a case for the best statistical rookie season ever.

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