Phoenix takes flight | NWSL goes out strong | Coco crashes out

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Phoenix takes flight

Two key upsets headlined Thursday’s WNBA bill, as Phoenix soared to third in the league standings while No. 6 Golden State continued to outwit opponents.

• The Mercury took down the No. 2 Liberty 89-81 for their fourth straight win, overcoming a 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart behind five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

• Out West, the Valkyries stifled the surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 while holding star guard Caitlin Clark to 0-7 from behind the arc.

• “We were being disruptive, we know she doesn’t like physicality — and we know she wants to get to that left step-back,” Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said of containing Clark.

Big picture: While No. 1 Minnesota and reigning champion New York still hold court atop table, other squads are making some unexpected inroads.

• Phoenix have been particularly effective on the road, riding a 4-2 away record into tomorrow’s matchup with No. 11 Chicago — the last stop on a four-game road trip that’s seen the Mercury notch three straight wins.

• Golden State is flipping the script on expectations, relying on a thin roster with several players away at EuroBasket 2025 ahead of Sunday’s clash with No. 12 Connecticut.

Up next: The Mercury face the Sky tomorrow at 1 PM ET on ABC, before the Valkyries host the Sun on Sunday at 8:30 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.

Aces look to stop the skid

It’s all eyes on Las Vegas this weekend, as the No. 8 Aces try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

• Las Vegas’s future hinges on three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson’s potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to “questionable” after landing in concussion protocol.

What to watch: The margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

• Seattle vs. Las Vegas, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to curb their free fall tonight, going head-to-head with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.

• Indiana vs. Las Vegas, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas faces a Fever team smarting from Thursday’s away loss to Golden State, as both teams cling to positions above the playoff line.

• New York vs. Seattle, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty has a comfortable hold on No. 2, but two losses in three games could spell danger as they take on Seattle — potentially without star big Jonquel Jones, who exited last night’s matchup with a knock to the ankle.

Bottom line: There’s no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error slide into a losing streak very quickly.

San Diego’s big test

The final NWSL weekend before midseason has arrived, with teams getting one more chance to prove themselves before the league pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

• With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City and No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current is guaranteed to enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend’s results.

What to watch: Despite KC’s grip, there’s still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the league look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note.

• Kansas City vs. Los Angeles, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): No. 10 Angel City has a chance to launch themselves above the cutoff line tonight, but they’ll have to halt a five-game Current winning streak to make it happen.

• Gotham vs. Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): No. 8 Gotham and No. 9 Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points but sitting on opposite ends of the playoff line, with a win for either club setting the tone for the rest of the season.

• San Diego vs. Washington, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend’s only top-table clash could see No. 3 San Diego sprint back to second place — or No. 4 Washington leapfrog the upstart Wave for a third-place spot.

PRESENTED BY JWS & MICROSOFT COPILOT
Kelsey Plum stops by “Between the Lines”

There’s a new WNBA show in town, with JWS digital series Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie presented by Microsoft Copilot dishing up yet another serving of unfiltered commentary, insider perspectives, and cultural critique to basketball fans everywhere.

• The third episode of Between the Lines dropped yesterday, featuring two-time WNBA champion and three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum.

• In the all-new episode, Plum joins Leslie to chat about embracing her leadership role with the Sparks, lessons learned during her time in Las Vegas, growing parity within the league, and always keeping a competitor’s mentality.

Tune in: Catch episode three of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie on YouTube.

LPGA raises the bar in Frisco

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship teeing off in Frisco on Thursday — and inciting a flurry of first-round action.

• Thailand’s world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul leads the pack heading into today’s second round, finishing the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of -4.

Big picture: The first-ever women’s major hosted at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, the tournament’s $12 million overall purse is tied with the US Open for the LPGA Tour’s highest payout.

• All of the sport’s Top 100 athletes are participating in this week’s event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda (currently tied for 14th) and US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who’s tied for 10th after returning from a brief retirement.

Tune in: Coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship continues through Sunday, live on the Golf Channel.

Coco struggles on grass

2025 French Open champion Coco Gauff’s return to the court was short-lived this week, with the world No. 2 exiting the Berlin Open in straight sets in her first match since winning Roland-Garros.

• Gauff automatically advanced to the second round of the grass court Wimbledon tune-up tournament, before falling to Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-3 in Thursday’s Round of 16.

Big picture: Despite visibly struggling after her breakthrough victory on clay, Gauff seemed unfazed at this week’s setback — with arguably her weakest Grand Slam looming in London.

• “Tried my best to adjust with the quick turnaround but it wasn’t enough,” she posted to social media. “As always, I’m learning as I go so I hope to do better next time.”

Quote of the day

LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum
talking to Between the Lines host Lisa Leslie about linking up with second-year Sparks guard Rickea Jackson for the first time.