Lynx fall to Dream with playoff seeding on the line

Minnesota State Fair: Come for the Pronto Pup, stay for the WNBA crop art.

WNBA playoff seeding hangs in the balance

The WNBA playoffs remain in flux, as No. 1 Minnesota fell to No. 4 Atlanta 89-81 last night — failing to clinch the No. 1 seed ahead of the FIBA World Cup break.

• Guard Allisha Gray led the Dream with 23 points and 11 rebounds, bolstered by Angel Reese’s history-making 29th double-double of the season.

• “They were able to physically dictate in ways that we just didn’t respond well to,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “I think it’s a good look at what the playoffs are going to be.” (Watch full highlights)

On their heels: Minnesota’s two-game skid puts No. 2 Golden State in the running for top seeding, sitting just two games back after Sunday’s 86-69 win over No. 9 Portland.

• The 29-11 Valkyries closed out August on four straight victories, as they look to challenge the Lynx’s 31-9 record with four regular-season games to go.

• “When they come back, the mindset [is] being ready for playoffs,” Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said. “[Making] sure that they’re clear, their mind is clear, because we’re gonna go deeper.” (See full remarks)

Denver eyes postseason contention

No. 9 Denver is making late-season moves, as Saturday’s 6-1 rout of No. 16 Chicago boosted the Summit to within four points of playoff contention.

• Five different Denver scorers found the back of the net, led by forward Melissa Kössler’s fifth and sixths tallies of the year.

• The 2026 expansion team claimed the NWSL’s first six-goal result this season in the win, while also setting its own single-season record. (Watch full highlights)

High hopes: The Summit is attempting to become the first NWSL club to make the playoffs in its inaugural season since the 2022 San Diego Wave.

• The team saw a boost from marquee signing Lindsey Heaps, as the midfielder returned from a knee injury after sitting out four matches.

• “It was my first time on the bench with her, and she was 50% coach, 50% super fan,” coach Nick Cushing said of the USWNT captain. “She showed me she has a real love and passion for this club.” (See full report)

Up next: Denver puts its momentum to the test on Sunday, hosting No. 1 Gotham at 2 PM ET (CBS).

Top seeds roll as US Open gets underway

The US Open is off to the races, with Sunday’s main-draw kickoff delivering few surprises as top-ranked WTA stars cruised through the Grand Slam’s first round.

• World No. 3 Jessica Pegula notched a straight-sets win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse, joined in Round 2 by No. 9 Elina Svitolina and No. 11 Marta Kostyuk.

• “It is a little bit weird,” Pegula said of her early start. “But I did kind of enjoy that I could breathe for the next couple of days and everyone else is still freaking out about whether they’re going to win their first round.” (Watch full highlights)

Around the horn: Sunday’s rainfall caused major delays, as tennis legend Venus Williams saw her 26th US Open cut short after falling to wildcard Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (6) well past midnight.

• Mixed doubles champion No. 7 Karolína Muchová opens her singles run today alongside No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 8 Iga Świątek, No. 10 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 13 Naomi Osaka, while No. 4 Coco Gauff, No. 2 Elena Rybakina, No. 5 Mira Andreeva, and No. 17 Alexandra Eala headline tomorrow’s slate.

• “Expectations are high — US Open can be the one you feel the most pressure at, just being an American you want to succeed,” Gauff said this week. “I just try to enjoy each and every single time I’m out here.” (See full draw)

Tune in: US Open coverage continues today at 11 AM ET (ESPN).

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Montréal shatters NSL attendance record

Canadian soccer fans showed out on Saturday, as Montréal’s 1-0 win over Halifax set a new Northern Super League attendance record.

• The Roses welcomed over 17,000 fans to Stade Saputo, breaking Toronto’s previous 15,500 high mark set during the NSL’s 2025 debut season.

• “It was the 17,077 people in the stands who carried this team to the end,” said interim manager Maryse Bard-Martel. “This is a historic match that the entire organization will remember forever.” (See full report)

Big picture: Montréal is becoming a women’s sports hub, with both the PWHL’s Victoire and the WNBA’s visiting Toronto Tempo drawing record crowds in Quebec.

• The Roses top the NSL table with 34 points in 18 games, pulling one point ahead of No. 2 Ottawa with seven regular-season matchweeks remaining.

WNBA Finals logo gets a refresh

The WNBA is getting a makeover, with the league officially refreshing its championship logo as the 2026 regular season nears its close.

• The new design features the WNBA logowoman and championship trophy, as the hardware makes its first logo appearance since 2006 accompanied by custom lettering emphasizing speed and intensity.

• The announcement came 30 years after the Houston Comets won the inaugural WNBA title, timed to “honor that magical beginning while also boldly looking ahead to a limitless future.” (See full release)

Big picture: The WNBA has only altered its logo three times in league history, with the current look dating back to 2020.

• The 2026 regular season is set to wrap on September 24th, before the postseason’s best-of-three first round tips off on September 27th. (See full schedule)

Quote of the day

Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell
reflecting on her journey after dropping 34 points in Friday’s win over the Sun.