The playoffs will be made up of the top eight teams from the 2019 WNBA standings. These spots are currently held by the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm. There are still some surprises in the standings. Phoenix and Las Vegas have struggled to close games on the road, while Minnesota's Big Three has been a constant Achilles heel all season. Let's have a closer look at some other teams in the league.
Phoenix has been inconsistent on offense
While the team's offensive production has been inconsistent in the standings, its forwards have been a bright spot. Brianna Turner averages 17.2 points per game, but her efficiency has been lacking. She is shooting only 38 percent from field and just 27 percent from 3-point range. Coach Sandy Brondello has 17 career playoff wins and has been successful at developing younger players. She has a youthful energy and inspires others.
Phoenix has been a fairly consistent defense team but has struggled with scoring in recent games. On Sunday, the Mercury fell to the Atlanta Dream, despite having Diana Taurasi record her 10th straight game with 20 points. The Mercury's offensive rating is just 103.3, while their defensive rating is 103.5. Skylar Dipgins-Smith is another player worth your attention, scoring an average of 36 fantasy points per contest.
Las Vegas has struggled to close games on the road
With three games to go this week, Las Vegas is in the thick of the playoff race. For the Eastern Conference's second seed, Connecticut is just half-game behind. Washington and Seattle are half-agame apart for the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds. Dallas has already secured the sixth seed and is most likely to win the postseason. The playoff race is wide open with only one game separating seventh place Atlanta from No. 11-seed Los Angeles.
Despite losing close games on road, the Aces have been unstoppable home. The Aces are unstoppable at home, having won four straight games against Bulls. They also won nine of the last 11. While they lost their last three games in the playoffs, they remain in contention to rise the standings. They may gain momentum heading into next season if they win in a hostile environment.
Minnesota's Big Three have been Minnesota’s Achilles' heel throughout the entire season
Health issues at the running back and wide receiver positions have hampered the Gophers running game. Mohamed Ibrahim, a true freshman suffered a season-ending injury during the opener. The team still has its top three running backs. Chris Autman-Bell missed the first two games due to injury and is expected to play Saturday. However, the remaining scholarship running backs are not as healthy as they were in the beginning of the season.
The Achilles heel of the offense line this season was Garrett Bradbury, but the team has made progress in the last week. Christian Darrisaw is set to start as the full-time left tackle and Garrett Bradbury returns at center. Ezra Cleveland is still settling into his role at left guard. Jesse Davis, Ed Ingram, Chris Reed, and Ed Reed will all be fighting for the rightguard spot.