Connecticut Sun 69, Washington Mystics 79

Washington built control early and never let Connecticut back into it, but the Sun's shorthanded effort kept the final margin well under the massive spread. Final: 79-69, Washington improves to 27-16 and stays tied with Dallas for sixth, while Connecticut closes its road schedule at 10-33, still last in the league.

Shakira Austin was dominant, going 7-of-14 from the field for 25 points at 60.7% true shooting with a double-double of 13 rebounds and four steals, going 11-of-15 from the free throw line. Cotie McMahon added 13 points on 62.5% shooting, and Sonia Citron contributed 12 points with three assists. Washington's 28 points off Connecticut's 18 turnovers and their 76% free throw shooting reflected exactly the size advantage and playoff-motivated form the preview flagged, even if the final score fell well short of a 14.5-point cover.

Connecticut played loose with nothing but pride on the line, exactly as the preview anticipated. Diamond Miller led the Sun with 19 points on 41.2% shooting, and Aaliyah Edwards posted a double-double with eight points and 13 rebounds despite four turnovers. Leila Lacan added 11 points but committed six turnovers of her own. Connecticut's 18 total turnovers, converted into 28 Washington points, reflected a thin roster that competed hard without the firepower to seriously threaten the upset.

CON 69 · WAS 79

Toronto Tempo 85, Chicago Sky 97

Chicago's talent edge in this specific matchup showed up again, closing out the season series at home behind a dominant third quarter. Final: 97-85, Chicago improves to 16-27 and closes its season series with Toronto on a high note, while Toronto falls to 11-32 and extends its brutal stretch to 1-9 in its last 10.

Gabriela Jaquez was nearly perfect, going 8-of-10 from the field for 18 points at 90% true shooting. Kamilla Cardoso added 17 points on 72.7% shooting, and Sydney Taylor contributed 18 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Courtney Vandersloot dished nine assists. Chicago's 20 fast-break points and their 60% shooting as a team reflected exactly the talent gap the preview identified between two eliminated teams, one simply more equipped than the other.

Toronto competed hard behind big individual scoring nights despite the losing streak. Isabelle Harrison posted a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds despite 31.8% shooting. Laura Juskaite added 20 points on 60% shooting with four steals. But Toronto's 18 total turnovers, converted into 16 Chicago points, and their season-long struggles that have compounded down the stretch reflected exactly the reeling profile the preview flagged heading in.

TOR 85 · CHI 97

Minnesota Lynx 77, Indiana Fever 96

This was the game with the biggest stakes of the night, and Indiana delivered exactly the signature performance its seeding jeopardy demanded. The Fever built a 29-point lead behind a dominant first quarter and third-quarter surge, avoiding the No. 8 seed nightmare scenario the preview laid out. Final: 96-77, Indiana improves to 28-15 and keeps its seeding fate in its own hands heading into Thursday's rematch, while Minnesota falls to 32-11 but stays a game clear of Golden State for the West's top seed.

Caitlin Clark was excellent, going 9-of-18 from the field (3-of-7 from three) for 27 points at 65.4% true shooting with nine assists and four steals. Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points on 46.2% shooting, and Aliyah Boston shot 77.8% for 17 points with seven rebounds. Sophie Cunningham hit three of six three-point attempts off the bench. Indiana's 63.7% true shooting as a team and their 27 assists reflected exactly the league-best offense the preview flagged as Indiana's path to protecting its seeding, delivered against the league's best defense.

Minnesota, playing on the second half of a difficult scheduling stretch, could not solve Indiana's offense. Chloe Bibby was efficient off the bench, hitting five of nine three-point attempts for 15 points. Liatu King added 12 points on 50% shooting, and Dorka Juhasz posted a double-double with five points and 12 rebounds despite 22.2% shooting. But Minnesota's league-leading defense, which came in allowing just 83.7 points a game, allowed 96, and the Lynx's 17 total turnovers reflected a rare complete off night for the league's best team.

MIN 77 · IND 96

Los Angeles Sparks 79, Las Vegas Aces 89

Las Vegas, already locked into the No. 3 seed, used the ESPN window as exactly the tune-up the preview anticipated, building an 18-point first-quarter lead before Los Angeles's spoiler-minded fourth-quarter push made the final margin closer than expected. Final: 89-79, Las Vegas improves to 30-13 and stays locked into third in the West, while Los Angeles closes its season at 16-27.

Jackie Young posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists on 37.5% shooting, adding five rebounds. A'ja Wilson added a double-double of her own with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 46.7% shooting. Stephanie Talbot was efficient off the bench, going 6-of-8 from the field for 14 points at 87.5% true shooting. Chelsea Gray contributed 17 points on 58.3% shooting. Las Vegas's 22 fast-break points and their 21 assists reflected exactly the show-in-front-of-the-cameras performance the preview flagged, even as Los Angeles played spoiler late.

LAS 79 · LVA 89

Golden State Valkyries 82, Portland Fire 90

This was the upset of the night. Golden State, locked into a top-two seed and having already won all three previous meetings against Portland this season, came in as a heavy favorite to complete the sweep, but the Fire, with Carla Leite drawing on lessons from her World Cup run alongside Golden State's own Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaün, flipped the script. Portland trailed by as many as 17 in the second half before rallying and eventually needing overtime to complete the upset. Final: 90-82, Portland spoils the sweep and closes its season at 17-27, while Golden State falls to 31-12 and missed a golden opportunity to gain ground on top seed Minnesota, who lost to Indiana earlier in the evening.

Bridget Carleton was the story, going 9-of-21 from the field (5-of-14 from three) for 26 points at 58.2% true shooting. Carla Leite added 18 points on a stellar 9-of-10 from the free throw line with six assists. Megan DiLeo shot 60% for 14 points, and Emily Engstler posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Portland's 95.7% free throw shooting as a team, drawing 28 fouls, and Jordan Harrison's 10 assists reflected exactly the kind of complete team performance that finally solved a Valkyries defense that had beaten them three times already.

Golden State's stingy defense could not translate into enough offense to close out the sweep. Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 17 points on 31.6% shooting. Veronica Burton added 13 points with eight assists, and Kayla Thornton contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. But Golden State's 25.8% three-point shooting and their inability to close out a game they led by 17 reflected a rare letdown from a team that had owned this matchup all season, on the last meeting before the playoffs.

GSV 82 · PDX 90