With the regular season winding down, tonight's opener doubles as the first of two straight meetings between Atlanta and New York that will decide their head-to-head tiebreaker, with the Dream (28-14) currently fourth and the Liberty (26-16) part of a three-way jam at 6-7-8 alongside Washington and Dallas. Just 2.5 games separate the Aces, Dream, Fever, Liberty, Mystics, and Wings in the standings, so every result down the stretch still moves the bracket. Dream at Liberty tips at 8:00, and Wings at Mercury follows at 10:00.

Atlanta Dream @ New York Liberty | 8:00 PM ET | Peacock / NBCSN

Atlanta sits fourth at 28-14, half a game behind Las Vegas for third, and has won eight of its last 10. The Dream and Liberty have played just once this season, a June game New York won, and these two meetings — tonight and again Wednesday — will settle the season series and the tiebreaker that comes with it.

New York is 26-16 and stuck in a crowded logjam for the final two home-court spots, needing results like this to separate itself from Washington and Dallas. The Liberty have also won eight of their last 10 games.

The line sits at Atlanta -1.5, with the total at 178.5. Two teams playing their best basketball of the second half, both fighting for playoff positioning with a tiebreaker on the line — this profiles as a tight, high-scoring game. Lean Atlanta -1.5, and lean the over.

New York wins if Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu control the game at home and the Liberty even the tiebreaker with two games to go.

Atlanta wins if Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard take Game 1 of the season-series decider and put New York in a hole heading into Wednesday's rematch.

Dallas Wings @ Phoenix Mercury | 10:00 PM ET | USA Network

Dallas is 26-16 and locked into the playoffs, closing the regular season on a two-game road trip that opens with a rematch just two days after beating this same Mercury team 87-82. Paige Bueckers is averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 assists, and a win tonight would give the Wings their first regular-season sweep of Phoenix since 2023.

Phoenix is 15-27 and eliminated, leaning on Kahleah Copper (21.3 points a game) and Alyssa Thomas (8.4 assists) to keep games competitive without much left to play for.

The line sits at Dallas -5.5, with the total at 171.5. Dallas has allowed just 84.2 points a game over its last 10, and a team riding a six-game streak with a sweep on the line rarely lets up against an eliminated opponent. Lean Dallas -5.5, and lean the under.

Phoenix wins if Copper and Thomas find another gear at home and snap Dallas's streak before the finale in Seattle.

Dallas wins if Bueckers and Ogunbowale pick up where Saturday left off and the Wings' defense keeps completing the sweep in reach.

The Barclays Center opener carries the bigger weight: whoever wins tonight takes the early edge in a tiebreaker that could decide a first-round matchup, with the rematch already set for Wednesday. Dallas, meanwhile, is quietly one of the hottest teams in the league entering the stretch run. Two games tonight, on Peacock and USA Network, with the regular season closing out Thursday, September 24.