^{August 21, 2025 | Edition #127}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

Is panic finally setting in? With the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings & Connecticut Sun officially out, five teams are now battling for the last three playoff spots. And while Dallas won’t be part of it, Paige Bueckers refused to let the season end without a night for the ages - for herself, for the fans, and honestly, for the league. Plus, just like it should be this time of year, the fourth quarter brought nothing but thrills. Let’s get into it.

Paige by Paige: Rewriting WNBA History

Well, we won’t get to see Paige Bueckers in the postseason in her rookie year. The good news, however, is that she is still going down as one of the greatest WNBA rookies ever. Did you see what she did against the Sparks in Hollywood?

Before Wednesday, only twice in league history had a rookie scored 40 points in a single game, which also ranked as the highest-scoring game of the season: Cynthia Cooper back in the WNBA’s very first year (at age 34!) and Candace Parker.

And now, Paige has joined the special list. She went off for 44 points vs LA, tying Cooper for the most points ever by a rookie and the highest scoring game of the season so far. She also became the first player in history to score 40-plus points while shooting 80% from the floor!

She went 17-of-21, including a perfect 4-of-4 from three and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line with just one turnover. But as wild as Paige’s performance was, the final word came from Kelsey Plum.

With the clock winding down and the Sparks down by 1, she drove to the middle and banked a cold-blooded runner at the buzzer to take the game 81-80. The shot, as well as her reaction to spoiling Paige’s historic night, was priceless. Catch the game winner from every angle possible!

So yes, the Wings won’t see the playoffs this season. They are officially eliminated. But if you ask any fan who watched last night, it didn’t matter. They saw something bigger. Along with that, not to forget, it also exposed Dallas’ cracks.

In the loss, Maddy Siegrist (13 points) was the only real support Paige had, while LA saw four players in double digits. The Wings need to come back next season with offensive weapons to help Paige. Because she has done more than enough to show exactly what she is capable of.

Roll With It

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Because every great trip deserves luggage that keeps up.

Liberty Get Their Shot, Mystics Lose Theirs

Sometimes a game gives you a moment that feels bigger than the box score. Sabrina Ionescu gave us exactly that at Barclays. She fell, just lay there for a second, almost like she knew the shot she had just drained was more than a bucket. It was relief, and maybe even a little redemption.

Because the Liberty were staring down the embarrassment of a regular-season sweep against the very same Lynx they beat in the Finals last year. For three straight games, Minnesota had their number. But not this time.

Not when Sab pulled up from the logo, drew the foul while cooking two defenders for the dagger. The chills this shot sent across the arena!

That dagger sealed an 85-75 win for NY. Ionescu kept the wheels steady for the Libs with 17 points and 11 assists, while the Lynx made sure it never felt too safe. Now, while Barclays was roaring like the playoffs, nobody was buzzing about playoff math.

The real heartbreak came in Connecticut, where the Mystics’ postseason hopes took a major hit after an 80-69 loss to the Sun. They got outscored 26-12 in the second, coughed up 15 turnovers that turned into 21 points, and now sit a game and a half behind Seattle for that eighth seed.

And at this moment, if D.C. ends up missing out, you can bet they’ll be rooting for Seattle to sit out too. Why? Well, let’s just say there’s a big, selfish reason behind it.

If there was a silver lining, it was rookie Sonia Citron, who dropped 19, becoming the highest-scoring rookie in franchise history. But the Mystics were outdone by another rookie, Connecticut’s Saniya Rivers, who flipped the script with 17 off the bench.

Just like that, DC’s playoff dream feels one step further.

Hilarious Ref Moment! Paige Bueckers ‘Prays’ Her Way Out of Trouble

Night of Comebacks and Fourth-Quarter Thrills

The Lynx blowout (the 111-58 drubbing on Aug 3rd) may have sparked something in the Aces, as they have refused to go down since then. This time, Vegas and Atlanta gave us a fourth-quarter thriller in another mini postseason preview. The Aces overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth to pull off a 74-72 win, marking their eighth straight victory!

While the game started with Allisha Gray’s smooth basket, her best friend A’ja Wilson took over, as usual. The 3x MVP set the hardest screen on Gray, sending her tumbling legs-up (ironically rocking A’One’s). Of course, they somehow made it hilarious, too. Here is the must-watch moment!

Wilson poured in 32 points, her third straight 30-plus outing, with Jackie Young adding 16. Atlanta fought back hard, but Rhyne Howard couldn’t connect on a pair of clutch late shots, leaving the Dream just short.

Meanwhile, over in Ballhalla, an injured Golden State Valkyries team met the Phoenix Mercury. In the first half, GSV was slicing through the Mercury like butter, scoring at will until the second half flipped the script.

Monique Akoa Makani got a lot of credit for holding Veronica Burton in check, but Coach Natalie Nakase wasn’t impressed with how she did it. In her own words, “it wasn’t exactly basketball.” Football, maybe? Here’s what the rookie did that left Nakase visibly frustrated!

Still, credits where it’s due, Phoenix’s rotations and help defense clicked, outscoring Golden State by 16 in the second half for the 98-91 win. Kahleah Copper led the way with 25 points, while Burton still put up 24 in a losing effort.

Another Setback? Caitlin Clark Suffers Ankle Scare During Workout: What It Means for Her Return

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

Unlike much of this season, there was only one WNBA game scheduled on Wednesday night. Who would have thought it would be the kind of game fans crave for? Paige Bueckers had a historic night, but Kelsey Plum had the last laugh. The win wasn’t the only thing Plum denied Bueckers, though. Turns out, she also kept the rookie from breaking her 2023 record. Indeed, a win-win for Plum. See exactly what it is!

MIP Race Might Be the W’s Spiciest Battle

We’ve spent plenty of time debating MVP front-runners and RoTY favorites, but you know what’s really flying under the radar this season, the “Most Improved Player” race. And this one might be the most heated of them all.

Take Gabby Williams to begin with. After two years of notable absences, she’s playing the best basketball of her career. Sure, her All-Star nod was proof enough, but the numbers back it up, too. From 10.3 points last year to 12.3 now, with 4.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists added in, Gabby is a DPoY favorite and a serious MIP contender.

One category showcases her defensive prowess, where she leads the league over the likes of Dearica Hamby and A’ja Wilson. Check out what it is!

However, when it comes strictly to MIP, we have said it before, Veronica Burton might just be in the lead. In her first three years, she barely started 20 games combined. Golden State has been her true breakthrough in season four. This year, her numbers have exploded from 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists to 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists!

Then there’s Allisha Gray. She’s been steady her whole 9-year pro career, but this season feels different. She is currently averaging 18.5 points (+3.1), 5.5 rebounds (+1.1), and 3.7 assists (+1.0). Add in her deadly three-point range. Against Vegas, one of her shots barely scraped the rafters before falling clean. This gave us prime Steph Curry vibes.

Oh, and let’s not forget Azurá Stevens. After injuries slowed her down in 2024, she stormed back this year with 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds, up from 9.6 and 7.0. The kind of bounce-back story we live for.

So, yes, this MIP race is anyone’s at this point.

Bumps…On One Foot! Fever Gifted Injured Aari McDonald Most Hilarious Birthday “Ride”

📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. Cathy Engelbert Accused of Favoring ‘NBA Billionaires’ Amidst Sun Sale Fiasco - Full Story

2. Kelsey Plum Risks Fine After Calling Out Teammates Postgame - Full Story

3. Did Paige Bueckers Just Put the ‘Clark Effect’ Narrative on Trial? - Full Story

4. “You Can’t Do That to Bron!" Aliyah Boston Roasts 2K26’s Hilarious Clark–LeBron Stunt - Full Story

5. It’s Not the Pros Making WNBA Expansion Inevitable, So Who Is? - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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