Finally, all the WNBA playoff berths have been officially booked for this season, with a handful of games remaining for each team. Tuesday night saw head coach Jose Fernandez’s efforts come to fruition, as the Dallas Wings beat the Portland Fire to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot for the first time since 2023. Meanwhile, the Washington Mystics continue their ascent to the top, making franchise history along the way. And if that was not all, the Connecticut Sun took a much-needed home win against the Chicago Sky, thanks to a record night by returning Aaliyah Edwards.

With lots to discuss, let’s take a look at the drama that unfolded on Tuesday as we near the two-week break in the WNBA.

The Dallas Wings turnaround is complete

To be fair, it was just a matter of time for the Dallas Wings to seal qualification, with only the Portland Fire as their last remaining competitor for the final spot. But the Wings erased all doubts on Tuesday night at the College Park Center when they beat the Fire 96-78 to reach the playoffs for the sixth time since the franchise relocated to North Texas in 2016.

The Wings extended their record to 23-16 with the victory. Two more, and Jose Fernandez’s side would record the highest winning percentage in team history. And it is looking likely that this will happen, with five games to go in the regular season, alongside the form the players are in.

However, this is not a reality any Wings fan would’ve believed last season. When the 2025 regular season ended, the Wings not only missed the playoffs; they finished last in the league standings with a 10-34 record. However, under Fernandez and with Paige Bueckers leading on the court, the Wings’ turnaround is complete.

Paige Bueckers did her usual thing, as the Wings’ centerpiece recorded 22 points and 11 assists on 8-of-15 shooting. This was her 23rd game this season in which she has scored more than 20 points. Safe to say, last year’s No. 1 overall pick is definitely a dark horse for the MVP title this season.

Bueckers was not alone on offense, as five players from the Wings reached double figures. Among them, Jessica Shepard contributed 21 points and shot 10-of-15 from the field, while Arike Ogunbowale scored 17.

The biggest surprise was Awak Kuier, who recorded 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The Wings drafted Kuier as the No. 2 overall pick back in 2021. While she was not quite WNBA-ready at 19 back then, Kuier has been having a good stretch of games with the Wings, with No. 1 overall rookie Azzi Fudd out for the season. Kuier will definitely be a top choice for Fernandez in the postseason if she continues this run.

Speaking of the head coach, Fernandez reached the WNBA playoffs in his first year as head coach. This is the 38th time a first-year head coach in WNBA history has secured a playoff bid. Fernandez follows the trend set by the Atlanta Dream’s Karl Smesko and Golden State Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase, both of whom secured this feat last season.

“Thank you, guys. Appreciate you guys covering us all year, through the good, bad, and me being a****** as well,” he told the media in the post-game press conference.

“It’s great that we did it on our own terms, right? That we didn’t have to wait for somebody else to lose or not win tonight. We did it at the right time.”

From here, the Wings can mathematically finish anywhere between second and eighth. They have had a pretty decent record against their postseason competition this season. The Wings are 2-1 against the Las Vegas Aces, Indiana Fever, and the New York Liberty. However, they are also 1-2 against the Washington Mystics, 0-3 against the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream, and 0-4 against the Minnesota Lynx.

Regardless, Bueckers and co. can now take a slight breather, with their last 5 opponents all out of playoff contention and the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup break. The Wings will host the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, with their next game on September 17 against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Washington Mystics are one to watch out for

The Mystics beat the Phoenix Mercury 94-84 on the road, and unlike the earlier victories where the Mystics would barely hold on and take the W, this one was much more satisfactory for head coach Sydney Johnson, as the Mystics are finding their rhythm just at the right time as we steadily approach the playoffs.

Moreover, with Washington extending their record to 23-15 for the season, this marks the second-most regular-season victories in franchise history, only behind the 2019 season, when they won 26 games. And that is the year the Mystics last won the WNBA championship as well, so all in all, the Wings are on the perfect trajectory,

The win against the Mercury was largely due to Sonia Citron’s 19 points and 9 assists, followed by Kiki Iriafen’s 17th double-double of the season, as she recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds. Shakira Austin and rookie Lauren Betts also contributed with 16 and 10 points, respectively.

The Mystics remained dominant the whole game, closing out the first half with a 51-33 lead. The Mystics also held a double-digit lead throughout the entire second half, with their largest advantage being 64-44, while shooting 51% from the field.

Meanwhile, throughout this season, the Mercury have looked like a shell of their former selves. One wouldn’t believe this side reached the WNBA Finals last season if they hadn’t watched it themselves. Kelsey Plum’s reinforcement hasn’t really helped matters, and now DeWanna Bonner has reached a buyout. The Mercury’s 13-25 record displays that there are far more issues involved that need addressing in the offseason.

Regardless, Kahleah Copper scored 19 points and 5 rebounds, as Natasha Mack added 19 points and 8 rebounds. With Alyssa Thomas providing 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists, one can say there is still hope for the franchise to get back to the top next season with such seasoned veterans.

However, for the Mystics, the sky is the limit, as they aim to secure at least the fourth spot to receive home-court advantage. If the season ended today, they would play the second-seed Valkyries. But if they continue playing such good basketball, they have a good chance to host a playoff game for the first time since their title-winning season.

Aaliyah Edwards’ career night fuels the Sun’s victory at home

With both the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky out of playoff contention, all that was left to play for was pride. This was especially true for the Sun, who were playing one of their final home games at Mohegan Sun Arena, as they will be relocated to Houston, Texas, ahead of the 2027 season following a $3o0 million sale to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

And in came Aaliyah Edwards to the rescue, as she returned from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury, recording a career-high 26 points, surpassing her previous record of 24 points on June 10 against the Toronto Tempo in an overtime loss. But this time, the Sun sealed an 87-81 victory over the Sky on Tuesday.

The center also had a season-high 10 rebounds, which she added alongside her 11-of-16 shooting efficiency. With their third win in the last 12 games, the Sun are officially double-digit in wins this season, now holding a 10-27 record.

Apart from Edwards, Diamond Miller’s 21 points were highlighted by four shots from outside the arc. Kennedy Burke was on a similar wavelength to her, scoring 19 points. The Sun did not look like they needed any extra reinforcement, despite the absences of Brittney Griner, who missed her fifth straight game with a knee injury, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, also sidelined with a knee problem. At one point early in the fourth quarter, the Sun had a 78-58 lead.

Over on the Sky, Kamila Cardoso took charge with 24 points and 13 assists, recording her 14th double-double of the season. Azura Stevens added 18 points, while Courtney Vandersloot was on her own side quest, becoming the second player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career assists, doing so with the highest average per game. She had 9 assists for the day, alongside 8 points and 4 rebounds.

The Sky had one of their worst outings from beyond the arc, going 0-for-12 in the first half and finishing with 6-of-29. Still, they managed to make a big push in the fourth quarter, down 80-62. But with 6:47 to go, the Sky responded with a 17-2 run. However, it was not enough in the end, with Miller finishing things up with a pair of free throws and Edwards tightening any loose ends by converting a layup.

From here, both sides play against qualified teams, as the Sun host the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, while the Sky travel to Brooklyn to play against the Liberty.