WNBA table, playoff analysis, schedule: Liberty secures playoff spot, Sky gets important win against Sparks

The 2024 WNBA season is back in full swing. On Saturday, the New York Liberty became the first team to secure a place in the playoffs with an impressive away win against the Las Vegas Aces. Elsewhere, the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky scored important victories.

Four games continue on Sunday, with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever taking on the Seattle Storm. Clark only needs three assists to set the rookie single-season record.

As a reminder, the top eight teams, regardless of conference affiliation, advance to the WNBA playoffs. Under the current playoff format, teams are placed into a standard bracket, with the No. 1 seed playing No. 8 in the first round, No. 2 playing No. 7, and so on. Teams play a best-of-three series in the first round and a best-of-five series in the semifinals and finals. Notably, the first round has a 2-1 format, meaning the higher seed has the first two games at home, while the lower seed has the deciding Game 3 at home, should the series go that far. The semifinals and finals have a standard 2-2-1 format, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2, and 5, if necessary.

Here's everything you need to know about the current playoff situation, including the standings and key decision criteria:

Table position

1. New York Freedom (23-4) — Playoff spot secured
2. Connecticut Sun (19-6)
3. Minnesota Lynx (19-8)
4. Seattle Storms (17-9)
5. Las Vegas Aces (16-9)
6. Phoenix Mercury (14-13)
7. Indiana fever (12-15)
8. Chicago sky (11-15)
9. Atlanta Dream (8-17)
10. Los Angeles Lakers (6-20)
11. Dallas Stars (6-20)
12. Washington Mystics (6-21)

Note: Ties between two teams will be decided by head-to-head first, then, if necessary, by the better match against teams with a record above .500. Ties between more than two teams will be decided by the combined head-to-head against the other teams.

Only freedom at the top

1. New York Liberty (23-4)

• Decision criteria: against Sun (3-0)

The Liberty have been the best team in the league this season and have already clinched a playoff spot after their win over the Aces on Sunday. Only the Sun are three games behind them, and the Liberty have already won the season series between the clubs, essentially giving them a four-game lead.

Important remaining games: vs. Sun, 24 Aug

A battle between four teams in midfield

2. Connecticut Sun (19-6)

• Decision criteria: against Liberty (0-3); against Lynx (2-0); against Storm (0-1); against Aces (0-1)

The newly formed Suns' offense was really impressive in their first game back from the break, scoring 109 points in a win over the Wings. Newcomer Marina Mabrey scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting in that game. Playing against the Wings obviously helped, but if the Sun score like that for the rest of the game, it's bad news for everyone else.

Important remaining games: at Liberty, August 24; vs. Storm, September 1; vs. Storm, September 3; vs. Aces, September 6; at Aces, September 15; vs. Lynx, September 17

3. Minnesota Lynx (19-8)

• Decision criteria: against Sun (0-2); against Storm (3-1); against Aces (1-1)

The Lynx destroyed the Mystics on Saturday, making it two wins in two games since play resumed after the break. They're keeping pace with the Sun in the race for second place and have given themselves some breathing room from the Storm and Aces below them.

Important remaining games: at Aces, August 21st; against Aces, August 23rd; on Sunday, September 17th

4. Seattle Storm (17-9)

• Decision criteria: against Sun (1-0); against Lynx (1-3); against Aces (1-2)

The Storm blew a 14-point lead in the second half of their first game back, losing on a last-second basket by Tina Charles. These are the kinds of games you can't miss when the race for the playoffs is as tight as it is in the midfield.

Important remaining games: against Liberty, August 30th; on Sunday, September 1st; on Sunday, September 3rd; at Liberty, September 5th; against Aces, September 17th

5. Las Vegas Aces (16-9)

• Decision criteria: against Sun (1-0); against Lynx (1-1); against Storm (2-1)

The Aces returned to action on Saturday with a nationally televised game against the Liberty. It didn't go well, as they lost by double digits and produced one of their worst offensive performances of the season. The result dropped them to fifth place.

Important remaining games: against Lynx, August 21st; at Lynx, August 23rd; at Sunday, September 6th; at Liberty, September 8th; against Sunday, September 15th; at Storm, September 17th

Mercury (somewhat) comfortable in sixth

6. Phoenix Mercury (14-13)

• Decision criteria: against Fever (0:3); against Sky (1:0)

The Mercury had to restart their season with a back-to-back and understandably seemed out of breath on Friday against the Fever. They have now lost all three games against the Fever this season, which could prove to be their undoing in the race for 6th place.

Important remaining games: against Sky, 18 August; at Sky, 15 September

Fever and Sky control the last two places

7. Indiana Fever (12-15)

• Decision criteria: against Mercury (3:0); against Sky (2:1); against Dream (2:0)

The Fever started 2-9 thanks to a devilish schedule that saw them play 11 games in 20 days – most of them against title contenders. Since then, they are 10-4 and have climbed to seventh place. Caitlin Clark had another brilliant performance in the team's win over the Mercury in their first game back.

Important remaining games: at Dream, August 26; at Sky, August 30; against Dream, September 8

8. Chicago Sky (11-15)

• Decision criteria: against Mercury (0:1); against Fever (1:2); against Dream (2:1)

On Saturday, the Sky seemed headed for another loss, but they staged an impressive fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Sparks on the road, a big win that extended their lead over the Dream in the race for eighth place back to 2.5 games.

Important remaining games: at Mercury, August 18; against Fever, August 30; against Mercury, September 15; at Dream, September 17

A tough fight for four lottery teams

9. Atlanta Dreams (8-17)

• Decision criteria: against Fever (0-2); against Sky (1-2)

On Friday night, the Dream seemed headed for another loss, but they staged a stunning 14-point comeback to defeat the Storm with a Tina Charles winner. They still have a lot of work to do to catch the Sky, but they are now only two games behind.

Important remaining games: against Fever, August 26; at Fever, September 8; against Sky, September 17

10. Los Angeles Lakers (6-20)

The Sparks were crushed by the Liberty in their first game back, blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead against the Sky on Saturday, putting them even further away from a playoff spot. In the long run, another lottery pick and a top draft pick is exactly what this team needs to continue its rebuild.

11. Dallas Wings (6-20)

Many teams have been plagued by injuries this summer, but none more so than the Wings, who are going through a hell of a season. Satou Sabally, Natasha Howard, Maddy Siegrist and Jaelyn Brown all missed extended periods of time before the break. While the Wings are finally getting healthy again, they were beaten in their first game back from the break and have likely dug themselves too deep into a hole to make the playoffs.

12. Washington Mystics (6-21)

Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin are back in action, but that wasn't enough against a stellar Lynx team that beat the Mystics twice in three days to drop them back to last place. As frustrating as this season has been, entering the lottery is in the franchise's best interest long-term.