Four games on the Wednesday slate, two of them barnburners decided by two points, two comfortable wins. Minnesota survived Washington in a two-point road win that required a Natasha Howard fourth-quarter surge. Phoenix outlasted Indiana in a 220-point offensive showcase that came down to free throw shooting in the final minutes. Chicago handled Portland from the second quarter onward with 38 bench points and a 22-point second-chance advantage. And Golden State built a 26-point first-half lead over Atlanta and held on through a frantic Dream fourth quarter to win going away. Here's how it all went down.

Minnesota Lynx 78, Washington Mystics 76

Washington led by as many as 12 and controlled this game through three quarters. Minnesota trailed entering the fourth and needed their best player to take over. Natasha Howard obliged. The Lynx outscored Washington 28-18 in the fourth quarter to steal a road win that had looked out of reach. Final: 78-76.

Howard was Minnesota's entire fourth quarter, going 7-of-13 from the field for 21 points with 15 rebounds (three offensive boards), seven free throw makes on eight attempts, and six fast-break points. Her 63.6 percent true shooting on a game-high volume night was the most complete center performance on either roster. Olivia Miles contributed 21 points on 6-of-18 from the field, drawing seven fouls and going 8-of-12 from the line (a 45.1 percent true shooting mark that relied entirely on her ability to get to the stripe), adding five assists on a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio and three steals. Kayla McBride shot 38.9 percent for 19 points (5-of-14 from three) but her two steals and 52.8 percent true shooting round out a line that carried Minnesota's perimeter production when Howard was doing the interior work.

Washington's loss was painful. Sonia Citron was the best player on the floor for either team, going 9-of-14 from the field (4-of-5 from three, 6-of-6 FT) for 28 points at 84.1 percent true shooting, the highest individual true shooting mark in the game by a wide margin. Her efficiency score of 31 and her offensive rating of 137.2 reflected a player who was nearly unguardable in the minutes she was on the court. Kiki Iriafen had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double and Lauren Betts shot 2-of-3 for four points, but three turnovers from Betts and 18 total Washington turnovers that Minnesota converted into 13 points proved decisive. Georgia Amoore shot 1-of-4 with four turnovers and three personal fouls, continuing her run of costly performances.

MIN 78 · WAS 76

Phoenix Mercury 111, Indiana Fever 109

Both teams shot 59.1 percent from the field. Both teams had 30-plus assists. Both teams scored more than 100 points. Phoenix won because they drew 33 free throw attempts (going 78.8 percent) against Indiana's 19 (going 94.7 percent), and because Kahleah Copper drew 12 personal fouls and converted 15 of 16 from the line when Indiana could not stop her from getting to the basket. Final: 111-109.

Mitchell went 7-of-9 from three for 30 points on 91.2 percent true shooting, the most efficient high-volume performance in the game. She attacked every level of Phoenix's defense and was unstoppable from the perimeter, making seven of her nine three-point attempts on a night where the Fever's shooting was the best it has looked all season. Clark had 19 points (5-of-9 FG, 3-of-4 from three, 8 assists, 81.6 percent true shooting) in a clean individual line undermined by four turnovers. Boston had a 23-point, nine-rebound performance on 9-of-16 from the field (64.8 percent true shooting) with five assists. Raven Johnson was Indiana's most efficient contributor, going 1-of-2 from the field for two points but posting seven assists and five rebounds with a 7.0 assist-to-turnover ratio in a flawless playmaking cameo. Monique Billings shot 4-of-4 from the field for 14 points at a calculated 106.4 percent true shooting with 10 rebounds and two second-chance conversions off the bench.

Copper was Phoenix's best individual, going 6-of-10 for 28 points at 82.2 percent true shooting, drawing 12 fouls across the game and going 15-of-16 from the line. The free throw volume was the difference between winning and losing. Thomas went 12-of-17 (70.6 percent, 24 points) with eight assists, though six turnovers were a problem. Brochant had 12 points and nine assists on a 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, the cleanest playmaking line of either team. Ayayi drew seven fouls and went 8-of-9 from the line for 19 points. Phoenix generated 17 fast-break points on a perfect 7-of-7 conversion rate and 11 second-chance points. Indiana played brilliantly enough to win and was punished by the free throw disparity.

PHO 111 · IND 109

Portland Fire 78, Chicago Sky 101

Tied after the first quarter at 22-21, Chicago took over methodically from the second quarter onward. The Sky's 12 offensive rebounds led to 22 second-chance points against Portland's seven, and 38 bench points against 21 from Portland's reserves defined the depth gap. The biggest lead was 27. Final: 101-78, and Chicago snaps a tough stretch with a comprehensive home win.

Kamilla Cardoso was Chicago's most efficient starter, going 6-of-7 from the field for 13 points at 82.5 percent true shooting with eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks on a clean turnover line. Skylar Diggins provided 15 points (5-of-10 FG, 6 assists) with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, her best playmaking night in recent memory after several difficult outings. Jacy Sheldon shot 6-of-12 for 14 points with two blocks and 54.3 percent true shooting. Aicha Coulibaly was the bench standout, going 3-of-4 (75 percent) for 10 points at 75.3 percent true shooting with two steals, a block, and a 100 percent fast-break conversion in 21 minutes. Cloud went 3-of-3 from the field (including a three) for nine points at 116 percent calculated true shooting with four assists. Chicago had 27 assists on 36 made field goals and generated 13 fast-break points on 85.7 percent conversion.

Portland never led after the first quarter. Gustafson was the Fire's most capable performer, going 6-of-12 from the field for 17 points (2-of-3 from three) at 63.8 percent true shooting with two steals, though she fouled out. Barker shot 5-of-12 for 13 points with 48.8 percent true shooting, the one other Portland starter who stayed competitive. Leite went 1-of-8 from the field, relying on a 7-of-8 free throw night to reach 10 points, and posted a minus-19. Nyadiew Puoch went 0-of-6 from the field (five of those from three) without a point in 27 minutes, the worst individual shooting performance of the game. Portland's 0-of-2 fast-break conversion rate against Chicago's 85.7 percent reflected the complete energy disparity in transition.

CHI 101 · POR 78

Atlanta Dream 66, Golden State Valkyries 77

Golden State came to play from the opening tip. The Valkyries built a 26-point lead across the first half on the strength of 15 made threes (46.9 percent from deep) and seven blocks as a team. Atlanta found some life in the fourth quarter, scoring 26 points against the Valkyries' 14, but the first-half gap was simply too wide. Final: 77-66, Golden State.

Gabby Williams was the best individual performer on either team, going 9-of-16 from the field (3-of-5 from three) for 23 points at 68.1 percent true shooting with five assists, five rebounds, and a plus-17. She attacked the paint aggressively (12 points in the paint on 6-of-11) while also connecting from three, the combination that makes her so difficult to scheme against. Kayla Thornton hit five threes (5-of-10 from deep) for 17 points at 66 percent true shooting. Cecilia Zandalasini shot 4-of-6 (4-of-6 from three, all made) for 14 points at 70.9 percent true shooting. Burton had eight points and seven assists (1.75 ratio) despite four turnovers, continuing her run as the team's offensive engine. Golden State held Atlanta to 54.5 percent from the free throw line, one of the better defensive free throw suppression performances of the week.

Atlanta was undermined by their shooting from start to finish. Madina Okot was the Dream's most efficient performer, going 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) for 16 points at 84.7 percent true shooting with five rebounds and fast-break production, the one Atlanta player who found consistent solutions against Golden State's defense. Reese had a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double (seven offensive boards) but shot 3-of-12 from the field and 4-of-9 from the line at 31.3 percent true shooting, unable to convert her second-chance opportunities at the rate her rebounding created. Howard shot 45.5 percent for 12 points with five rebounds, but was minus-23 in a game where the first-half gap proved insurmountable. Gray shot 30 percent from the field for eight points and was minus-22.

GSV 77 · ATL 66

Wednesday delivered two results that will define the standings and two that reinforced identity. Minnesota keeps finding ways to win close games, and Howard's fourth-quarter takeover is the kind of individual performance that earns trust when playoff positioning is on the line. Phoenix is a different team from the one that started the season, and a 111-point performance at home against a quality Indiana team speaks to how far they have come since early May. Chicago looks revitalized after a difficult stretch, and 38 bench points against Portland showed depth that the Sky will need down the stretch. And Golden State's 26-point first-half lead against Atlanta showed what they are capable of when the three-point shooting is firing from the opening minute.

Star of the Night: Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics

28 points | 9-of-14 FG | 4-of-5 from three | 6-of-6 FT | 84.1% true shooting | Efficiency score 31 | Offensive rating 137.2

In a losing effort. Citron's 28-point performance on 84.1 percent true shooting was the most individually efficient game of Wednesday's slate, and it came in a two-point road loss that Washington almost stole. She had no business being on the losing side of this box score. Mitchell's 30 on 91.2 percent true shooting makes the strongest counterargument, but Citron did it in a loss against the team with the best record in the West, in a game that came down to the final possessions. The selection reflects the individual performance, not the result.

Dud of the Night: Nyadiew Puoch, Portland Fire

0 points | 0-of-6 FG | 0-of-5 from three | 0 assists | 0 turnovers | minus-13

Twenty-seven minutes, six field goal attempts, zero made baskets, and zero points. In a game Chicago built a 27-point lead, every empty possession from a Portland starter compounded the damage. Going 0-of-5 from three and 0-of-1 inside the arc in 27 minutes while generating no playmaking production is the individual low point of Wednesday's four-game slate.