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Two teams heading different directions will play north of the border on Friday night.
The Atlanta Dream will cruise into Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on a six-game winning streak, where they’ll meet the Seattle Storm, losers of six-straight games, in the first regular-season WNBA Canada Game (ION, 10 p.m. ET).
This is the third overall WNBA game in Canada, as exhibition games were held in Toronto, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Next season, of course, Canadian-hosted hoops will become a regular feature in the W, with the debut of the expansion Toronto Tempo.
For now, Canadian fans will be treated to a Dream team playing their best basketball of the season, despite key players rotating onto the injured list. Most recently, Jordin Canada suffered a hamstring strain, sending her to the sidelines for at least two weeks and preventing a “Canada in Canada” moment. Rhyne Howard, however, is back, as the Storm experienced on Wednesday when the two teams met in Seattle. Howard unleashed a personal 9-0 run, draining three-straight 3s, with the last one coming after she stole an inbounds pass, to close the third quarter, positioning Atlanta to earn the 85-75 win and jump to No. 2 in the WNBA standings.
It was Howard’s second game back after she had been out of the lineup for a month with a knee injury. She finished the night with 25 points and seven assists, while Allisha Gray continued her MVP-caliber play with 22 points and 11 boards.
For Seattle, Nneka Ogwumike played like an MVP against Atlanta, posting 29 points and nine rebounds. The Storm won her minutes, but didn’t get enough from the rest of a roster that should be incapable of losing six-straight games. Yet, after shooting above their established standards early in the season, both Erica Wheeler and Gabby Williams have struggled to score efficiently of late. Newcomer Brittney Sykes’ integration also has been uneven. After a strong performance in Seattle’s down-to-the-wire loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, she was way off against Atlanta.
The Storm, now hanging onto the No. 8 seed, should be desperate for the win on Friday night. That should inspire a competitive contest for the fans in Rogers Arena. Elsewhere around the W, other squads likewise should come to play on Friday night, as playoff ambitions and positions will be on the line.
Washington Mystics (14-18) vs. Indiana Fever (18-15)
A home game against the future-focused Washington Mystics presents an opportunity for the injury-ravaged Indiana Fever to continue to fight through adversity and cling to the No. 5 seed (7:30 p.m. ET, ION). While it remains unclear if Caitlin Clark will return from her season-shaping groin injury, the Fever still have Kelsey Mitchell, who, regardless of who else is in or out of the lineup, keeps producing. Mitchell not only is a bucket, but also an iron woman; she’s played in every game this season after also not missing a contest in 2023 or 2024.
Golden State Valkyries (17-15) vs. Chicago Sky (8-24)
If the ever-pesky Mystics upset the Fever, the Golden State Valkyries can take over the No. 5 spot in the standings with a win over the woebegone Chicago Sky (7:30 p.m. ET, ION). Expected to fade down the stretch of the season, Golden State, instead, has refined their winning formula, with players continuing to raise their play when called upon. Most recently, it was Veronica Burton, who dropped a career-high 30 points in DC on Wednesday.
Los Angeles Sparks (15-17) vs. Dallas Wings (9-24)
Encouragingly for the Los Angeles Sparks, Cameron Brink, who left their Tuesday loss to the New York Liberty with an ankle tweak, is not listed on the injury report ahead of the LA’s game against the Dallas Wings (7:30 p.m. ET, ION). With Brink back in the lineup, the Sparks’ defense, which was their downfall against the Liberty, should significantly improve, allowing them to maintain their momentum toward a playoff berth against a Wings side more focused on next season.
Las Vegas Aces (19-14) vs. Phoenix Mercury (19-12)
This duel in the desert is the game of the night. The Las Vegas Aces, left for dead, are, instead, very much alive. Riding a five-game winning streak, they’ve surged to No. 5 in the standings. If they can make it six in a row against the Phoenix Mercury, they’ll be at No. 4, passing the Mercury and, at least temporarily, putting themselves in position for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
In addition to the seeding implications, MVP credentials are at stake for A’ja Wilson, the top-tier force behind the Aces’ rise, and Alyssa Thomas, the do-everything Engine for the Mercury.
