Can New York outlast the Lynx?

They see me rollin'…

Can New York flip the script?

No. 3 New York will have one last shot at redemption against No. 1 Minnesota tonight, as the reigning champion Liberty look to upend the team they defeated in the 2024 WNBA Finals — after ceding the No. 2 spot to Atlanta over the weekend.

• Even without injured leading scorer Napheesa Collier, Minnesota is 3-0 against their rivals this season, following a truncated scheduling quirk that saw the pair meet four times in less than three weeks. [Read more]

• “I’m super proud of us,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said ahead of tonight’s matchup. “I’m super proud of those that have Phee’s back. That makes Phee feel better.”

Big picture: Collier is currently listed as doubtful for tonight’s powerhouse matchup, with Minnesota perched atop the WNBA standings while New York looks to lock it down in Round 4.

• The Lynx drew 33 free throws in Saturday’s 86-80 Minnesota win, standing in sharp contrast to the Liberty’s eight.

• “It’s tough to win a game in this league with eight free throws… There are so many things out of our control,” New York guard Sabrina Ionescu said afterwards, pointing to injured team leader Breanna Stewart. “Like the players we don’t have and the free throws we didn't get.“ [Read more]

Tune in: Minnesota takes on New York at 7 PM ET tonight, live on NBA TV.

Atlanta rolls the dice in Vegas

A playoff preview is brewing in Las Vegas, as the No. 2 Atlanta Dream take a gamble on snapping the No. 5 Aces’ seven-game winning streak tonight.

• “I told myself after All-Star break to just let the game come to me, like it's gonna be what it’s gonna be," Aces superstar A’ja Wilson said before dropping 34 points on Dallas over the weekend. “If I try to harp it and force it because I want this win so bad for my team, it's like forcing a fart — all you get is s—t.” [Watch more]

Big picture: The Aces have shot up the WNBA standings since August 2nd’s historic 53-point loss to No. 1 Minnesota, but tonight they’ll welcome a similarly motivated Atlanta team determined to keep up momentum. [Read more]

• The Dream bounced back from last Friday’s loss to No. 8 Seattle with Sunday’s 79-63 win over No. 7 Golden State, with star center Brittney Griner contributing off the bench as she continues her return from injury.

• “Our bench has been really good all year," first-year Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko said. “Right now BG is coming in for us, and usually within the first minute of coming in, she has a basket or two.”

• “I think we are a real contender to win [a championship],” he continued. “Anything can happen and we're definitely trying to position ourselves to give us the best chance to win the whole thing.” [Read more]

Tune in: The Dream take on the Aces tonight at 10 PM ET, live on NBA TV.

Naeher saves the day for Chicago

No. 12 Chicago earned a dramatic NWSL draw last night, coming back from a three-goal deficit to pull level with No. 6 Seattle 3-3 — with superstar goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher scoring the stoppage-time equalizer.

• After the Stars gave up a third goal minutes into the second half, the team chipped away at the Reign’s lead before Naeher sealed the comeback with her first-ever NWSL goal in the 99th minute. [Watch more]

• “Chaos kind of sums up our season at this point, the way it finished like that,” Naeher said after the game. “You just see the heart in that play.” 

Big picture: Multiple staffing changes and on-pitch inconsistencies have seen the Stars struggle this season, with Chicago tallying just one 2025 win so far. [Read more]

• However, they’ve recorded five draws in their last six games under interim head coach Ella Masar, with Maser set to step down as soon as new head coaching hire Martin Sjögren’s assistant Anders Jacobson arrives.

• “That’s the belief in this group, that’s the mentality,” Naeher contninued. “We stuck together all season long.”

Cleveland builds a WNBA team

One of the WNBA’s newest additions made a big announcement this morning, as incoming expansion side Cleveland named Allison Howard president of business operations ahead of the team’s 2028 tip-off.

• Howard previously helped launch the NWSL’s Kansas City Current as the 2022 expansion team’s first president, while also securing naming rights for the first-ever purpose-built women’s soccer stadium.

• “Allison comes to this role with an extraordinary track record of leadership in premier sports organizations and expanding the reach of women’s sports,” said Nic Barlage, CEO of franchise owner Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group. [Read more]

Big picture: Cleveland will re-join the WNBA as the league’s 16th team, part of a controlled expansion plan that will see the league grow to 18 by 2030.

• Cleveland’s original WNBA team — the Cleveland Rockers — played from 1997 to 2003, folding prior to the 2004 season.

• The incoming team has already sold more than 5,000 season ticket packages since announcing the WNBA’s return earlier this year. [Read more]

Welcome words: “We’re committed to making this team a source of pride for our city and broader region, to inspire future athletes and to create an environment where everyone belongs and feels welcome,” Howard said in Tuesday’s statement.

Concacaf Champions Cup returns

It’s a busy week for some top NWSL teams, as the Concacaf W Champions Cup’s second edition kicks off with a series of group-stage matches tonight. [Read more]

• Reigning NWSL Challenge Cup champs Washington lead off, traveling south to take on El Salvador’s Allanzia tonight at 8 PM ET (Paramount+).

• 2024/25 Champions Cup winners Gotham FC then open their title defense against Liga MX Femenil side Rayadas tomorrow at 7 PM ET (Paramount+).

Big picture: Designed to mirror Europe’s UEFA Champions League, Champions Cup winners automatically qualify for the following year’s tournament in addition to securing a spot in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2028. [Read more]

• Orlando rounds out the NWSL’s Champions Cup lineup, with the Pride set to open their 2025/26 campaign in early September.

Azzi swings by Curry Camp

UConn star Azzi Fudd added another stop to her whirlwind offseason this week, landing in Chongqing, China to team up with NBA icon Stephen Curry on his Curry World Tour.

• Kicking off in San Francisco earlier this month, this year’s Curry World Tour brings Curry Camp — a high school basketball clinic where Curry provides “one-on-one coaching, advice, and exposure to his habits, routines, and mindset” — overseas for the first time.

• Fudd said last week that she considered Curry her favorite NBA player, with the UConn grad student going on to beat the 16-year league veteran in a three-point contest while in China. [Watch more]

Deep ties: Fudd became the first college player to sign with Under Armour’s Curry Brand in 2021, four years before she was named Most Outstanding Player at the 2025 NCAA Final Four. [Read more]

• “Steph has been such an amazing resource,” Fudd said back in March. “It kind of just goes to show the kind of person he is.”

Quote of the day

Chicago Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher
after scoring her first-ever NWSL goal to pull the Stars level with Seattle in Monday night’s 3-3 draw.