Liberty limps into playoffs after loss to Dream

2026 WNBA tunnel fits: Who wore it best?

Liberty limps into playoffs at No. 8

No. 8 New York is stumbling into the playoffs, earning the final postseason seed in last night’s 83-65 loss to No. 4 Atlanta — and setting a first-round date with top-seeded Minnesota.

• The Dream’s Allisha Gray delivered the blow with a game-high 24 points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals, while holding the Liberty to 36.4% shooting and 17.2% from deep.

• New York finished the regular season at 26-18, capping an injury-riddled year that often saw key players sidelined — including MVP candidate Breanna Stewart, who sat out Wednesday’s clash with knee soreness. (Watch full highlights)

Up next: Having secured home-court advantage, Atlanta will host either Indiana or Washington in Sunday’s first round, depending on tonight’s results.

• The Liberty, meanwhile, prepares for a high-stakes rematch harkening back to 2024, when New York ousted the Lynx to win its first league title.

• “Now we get an opportunity to go out there and upset a one seed, and that excites us,” said guard Sabrina Ionescu. (See playoff tracker)

Paige Bueckers shines in Wings win

Dallas ended its season on a high, clinching the No. 7 playoff seed with last night’s 103-91 win over No. 15 Seattle — fueled by Paige Bueckers’s 25 points and Jessica Shepard’s seventh career triple-double.

• Bueckers added seven assists to her tally, becoming the first player to finish a season averaging at least 20 points and five assists while shooting 50% from the field with a 2.0+ assist-to-turnover ratio.

• Shepard also made a mark, cementing her place atop the year’s triple-doubles race while boosting her shot at Most Improved Player. (Watch full highlights)

Going the distance: The Wings overcame Storm star Dominique Malonga’s 29 points and eight rebounds to complete a franchise-first sweep of Seattle.

• Tonight’s regular-season finale will determine Dallas’s first-round opponent, as Golden State and Las Vegas battle for the No. 2 seed. 

• “There’s a level of intensity and a sense of urgency,” Bueckers said. “We’re hungry, we’re not satisfied, and we’re not complacent.” (See playoff tracker)

Mystics ride record streak into Sky clash

No. 6 Washington is hitting its stride, as the surging Mystics hunt a fourth straight win in tonight’s regular-season closer against No. 11 Chicago.

• Offense has powered the Mystics’ recent 8-2 run, as Shakira Austin (20) and Kiki Iriafen (22) became the first-ever teammates to record at least 20 double-doubles in a single season.

• “If [Austin] doesn’t get Most Improved Player, I think I’m going to start a riot,” guard Georgia Amoore said. “Not many people play both sides of the ball as efficiently and as aggressively as she does, and she makes a difference.” (See full report)

Sizing up: Washington arrives hot off a franchise-record 27th victory, after Tuesday’s 79-69 result over No. 14 Connecticut pushed the young squad past the 2019 title-winning team’s previous mark.

• Winning just four of its last 10, the Sky lands in DC still stinging from last week’s 110-80 loss to the Mystics.

• A victory tonight could see Washington lock up the No. 5 seed, setting a first-round date with the No. 3 seed instead of No. 2. (See playoff tracker)

Tune in: Washington hosts Chicago tonight at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass).

JWS is diving behind the scenes, as For the Crest presented by CVS Health gets up close and personal with NWSL diehards — showcasing the people, traditions, and passions that drive supporters clubs across the league.

• In the episode, soccer personality Duda Pavão joins Washington, DC’s Spirit Squadron as they invade Rowdy Audi for a top-table NWSL showdown.

• “Supporters are like no other — on TV or here, you can hear them,” said one member. “They're loud. They’re expressive. And we’re helping out the community in any way we can.”

Tune in: Catch For the Crest on YouTube.

Unrivaled lands multi-year Adidas deal

Unrivaled 3×3 is gearing up, signing a multi-year deal with Adidas to make the sportswear giant its exclusive apparel partner starting next season.

• Adidas will provide player uniforms, supply gear for youth offshoots, and roll out retail lines alongside the offseason upstart’s January 2027 return.

• The news arrives as Unrivaled prepares for a highly anticipated third campaign, after last season saw the expanded league shatter attendance records while reaching a $650 million valuation.

Big ups: “Adidas has a long history of investing in the athletes and moments that define this game,” said WNBA great and President of Adidas Women’s Basketball Candace Parker. “Adidas will bring elite performance innovation to Unrivaled athletes while continuing to invest in the future of women’s basketball at every level.” (See full release)

PWHL All-Stars square off in Toronto

The PWHL is spotlighting its stars, as the newly expanded league took over Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame today to announce it will hold its first-ever All-Star event on March 7th at Scotiabank Arena.

• Four 10-player squads — Canada, International, USA, and Rookies — will compete in the 3×3 round-robin tournament, with top teams advancing to a semifinal and final.

• “The PWHL was built to feature the best players in the world,” said EVP of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford. “It’s only fitting that we return to Toronto — where the PWHL first dropped the puck — to bring the best of the best together.” (See full release)

Stay tuned: Additional details, including All-Star voting, roster construction, ticket information, and gameplay rules, are expected in the coming months. (Learn more)

Quote of the day

USWNT defender Emily Fox
on signing a three-year contract extension with WSL titan Arsenal this week.