How predictive is the regular season of playoff success? The Lynx and Valkyries look undeniable at this point in the campaign, but some lethal sharks are still lurking in the waters. The Aces and Liberty have been the apex predators of the WNBA over the past couple of years, boasting the league’s best players. However, New York has hardly been dominant to start the year. When speaking to my colleagues about what to make of the Liberty’s recent struggles, Emma Baccellieri pointed to Las Vegas’s improbable turnaround in 2025 as evidence that all hope is not lost in New York. The Aces finished last season with a 16-game winning streak after a slow start to the year, and rode that momentum to their third WNBA championship in four years. Becky Hammon’s team cites a 53-point embarrassing loss to the Lynx as the turning point of last season, and perhaps the Liberty’s midseason slump could serve as a similar motivating factor for Breanna Stewart & Co.
