WNBA Preview | August 18, 2026
Minnesota and Golden State have both clinched playoff spots, and Seattle and Connecticut have been eliminated, reshaping the stakes across a four-game Tuesday. Sparks at Sun and Fever at Tempo both tip at 7:00, followed by Liberty at Sky and Dream at Aces at 9:00.
Sparks Visit an Eliminated Sun Team
Los Angeles Sparks @ Connecticut Sun | 7:00 PM ET | WNBA League Pass
Connecticut's playoff hopes are officially over, eliminated with the league's worst record at 8-25. Los Angeles, twelfth at 12-22, remains mathematically alive but needs a strong close to have any real shot. With nothing left to play for beyond pride and draft positioning, Connecticut's motivation level is the biggest variable in a game the Sparks should be favored to win.
DraftKings has Los Angeles -1.5, with the total at 171.5. A near-even line between two non-playoff teams reflects how little separates them on paper, even with the stakes now fully removed from Connecticut's side. Lean Los Angeles -1.5.
Connecticut wins if they play with the freedom that sometimes comes once playoff pressure is off the table, and their young pieces get valuable extended run against a similarly matched opponent.
Los Angeles wins if their own remaining playoff push provides more motivation than Connecticut's spoiler mentality, and the Sparks' roster talent proves the deciding factor in a close game.
PICK
LA -1.5
O/U 171.5
Under ↓
Sparks win a close one between two non-playoff teams.
Fever Visit a Struggling Toronto Team
Indiana Fever @ Toronto Tempo | 7:00 PM ET | WNBA League Pass
KEY STAT
102-77
Toronto's margin of defeat in Sunday's loss to Atlanta, its most recent outing before hosting Indiana.
Indiana enters fourth at 23-12, firmly in the playoff field, while Toronto sits 13th at 10-23 and was just blown out by 25 points against Atlanta on Sunday. That kind of margin points to real defensive issues heading into a matchup with a Fever offense that has been one of the league's most potent all season.
DraftKings has Indiana -9.5, with the total at 192.5, one of the highest of the night. Given Toronto's recent blowout loss and Indiana's offensive firepower, the number looks fair to generous for the home team. Lean Indiana -9.5.
Toronto wins if they respond to Sunday's blowout with real defensive resolve, and Indiana shows any signs of a letdown on the second stop of a road trip.
Indiana wins if their offensive firepower continues rolling against a Toronto defense that just conceded 102 points, and the Fever protect their playoff positioning with a business-like road win.
PICK
IND -9.5
O/U 192.5
Over ↑
Fever win and cover behind their offense against a defense that just conceded 102.
Liberty Visit a Chicago Team Getting Real Value
New York Liberty @ Chicago Sky | 9:00 PM ET | WNBA League Pass
New York sits sixth at 22-14, comfortably in the playoff field, while Chicago at tenth is outside looking in. The Liberty remain the more talented roster top to bottom, but the market number reflects real respect for a Chicago team that has been competitive against playoff-caliber opponents in stretches this season.
DraftKings has New York -4.5, with the total at 180.5. Given Chicago's recent competitiveness and New York's occasional inconsistency on the road, the underdog is worth a look. Lean Chicago +4.5.
Chicago wins if their defense forces the kind of turnovers that have troubled New York against athletic opponents, and their home crowd provides the edge in a winnable spot.
New York wins if Breanna Stewart and the Liberty's talent gap simply proves decisive, and New York avoids the kind of road letdown that has occasionally cost them against lesser opponents.
PICK
CHI +4.5
O/U 180.5
Under ↓
Liberty win, but Chicago's recent competitiveness makes the full number a fade.
Dream Visit Vegas in a Rivalry Defined by Close Finishes
Atlanta Dream @ Las Vegas Aces | 9:00 PM ET | WNBA League Pass
This series has been defined by tight finishes all season, and the market reflects it: DraftKings has Atlanta as a slight road underdog, with the total at 178.5, one of the lower numbers of the night. Atlanta sits fifth at 21-13, coming off Sunday's blowout win over Toronto, while Las Vegas remains third at 24-12 and holds a real historical edge in this specific matchup dating back multiple seasons.
Atlanta's offense looked sharp in Sunday's win, and carrying that form into a tighter game against a quality Las Vegas defense will be the real test. A'ja Wilson remains the best individual player on the floor, and Las Vegas's track record in this exact matchup gives the home team the edge even in a game expected to be close throughout.
DraftKings has Atlanta +3.5. Given the historically tight margins in this series and Atlanta's momentum off Sunday's win, the points are worth taking. Lean Atlanta +3.5.
Atlanta wins if their offensive rhythm from Sunday's blowout carries over, and their recent history of keeping this series close continues.
Las Vegas wins if Wilson's individual dominance and the Aces' track record in this matchup hold up again, and Las Vegas protects home court the way a championship-caliber roster should.
PICK
ATL +3.5
O/U 178.5
Under ↓
Aces win a tight one; this series has stayed close all season.
What to Watch For Tonight.
Minnesota and Golden State clinching playoff spots, alongside Seattle and Connecticut's elimination, means tonight's slate has real clarity for the first time all season about who's playing for something and who isn't. Toronto's response to Sunday's 25-point loss against a potent Indiana offense is worth tracking early. And the Atlanta-Las Vegas rivalry, defined by close finishes all season, should live up to its billing again as both teams jockey for playoff seeding down the stretch.

