Seattle Storm Defeat Toronto Tempo 90-78 as Flau’jae Johnson Leads Second-Half Surge

Kiki Iriafen recorded her 17th double-double as the Washington Mystics defeated the Phoenix Mercury 94-84 for their 23rd win of the season.

Cecilia Zandalasini scored 18 as the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Minnesota Lynx 80-66 for their first franchise win over Minnesota.

Angel Reese grabbed a WNBA-record 26 rebounds and broke the single-season rebounding mark as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 78-71.

Caitlin Clark scored 37 points and Kelsey Mitchell added 30 as the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky 113-90 behind a record-setting offensive night.

Shakira Austin scored a career-high 31 points as the Washington Mystics rallied past Portland 105-100 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2023.

The Chicago Sky had already come painfully close to beating the New York Liberty twice this season. On Tuesday night, Natasha Cloud made sure the third meeting ended differently. Cloud erupted for a career-high 35 points , adding nine rebounds and six assists as the Sky defeated the New York Liberty 93-86 in Chicago. Kamilla Cardoso added 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Sky survived New York's fourth-quarter comeback and improved to 14-22 . Chicago had lost its first two meetings with New York this season by exactly one point each. This time, even after surrendering a 13-point advantage and briefly falling behind late, the Sky found an answer. Cloud provided it. Natasha Cloud Takes Over Against the Liberty Cloud delivered the best scoring performance of her career when Chicago needed it most. She finished 13-for-21 from the field , connected on four of eight three-point attempts and made five of six free throws. Her final line of 35 points, nine rebounds and six assists reflected much more than a hot shooting night. She was involved throughout Chicago's offense and ultimately became its closer. Cloud had already scored 16 points with four three-pointers in the first half , helping Chicago establish control before halftime. But her biggest baskets came after New York had erased that advantage. Chicago Builds a Double-Digit Halftime Lead The Sky began creating separation during the second quarter. Cloud knocked down a three-pointer, and Courtney Vandersloot followed with one from a similar area as Chicago put together a 9-0 run . By halftime, the Sky had established an 11-point advantage . Chicago's offense wasn't dependent solely on Cloud. Azura Stevens had already provided an early spark, scoring 10 points in the opening quarter , while the Sky found opportunities cutting toward the basket and from the perimeter. The lead eventually grew to 13 points during the third quarter. Against a Liberty team with enough offensive talent to erase deficits quickly, however, 13 was not enough to put the game away. Jonquel Jones Leaves With an Ankle Injury New York suffered an important setback early in the game. Jonquel Jones appeared to injure her left ankle with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter while battling for position inside. She did not return. The supplied sources do not provide a diagnosis or timetable for Jones, so the severity of the injury was not immediately established. Her absence left the Liberty without an important interior presence for most of the night. New York still managed to mount a major comeback. Rebecca Allen Sparks New York's Rally The Liberty began cutting into Chicago's lead during the third quarter. Rebecca Allen scored all 14 of her points after halftime , including three three-pointers during the third period. Her perimeter shooting helped reduce what had been a 13-point Chicago advantage to five. Sabrina Ionescu also began making an impact. Ionescu intercepted a pass and converted at the other end as New York continued building momentum. She eventually finished with 18 points and 12 assists , recording a double-double while helping organize the Liberty's comeback. Chicago still carried an eight-point advantage into the fourth. New York wasn't finished. Breanna Stewart Helps Bring the Liberty Back Breanna Stewart led New York with 22 points and played a major role in the fourth-quarter rally. As Chicago's advantage disappeared, Stewart connected from three-point range to bring the Liberty within one. New York then created another opportunity defensively. Stewart came up with a steal, and the possession eventually ended with Marine Johannes hitting a three-pointer with 2:09 remaining . For the first time since New York had led 24-23 , the Liberty were back in front. The score was 84-83 . After trailing by as many as 13, New York had completed the comeback. Now Chicago needed to respond. Natasha Cloud Answers Immediately Cloud did not allow New York's lead to last. With 1:17 remaining , she reached her preferred area around the free-throw line and connected on a jumper. The basket gave Chicago an 86-84 advantage and pushed Cloud beyond her previous career high of 31 points. It was exactly the type of possession Chicago had failed to consistently produce in its previous close losses to New York. The Sky needed a basket. Their leading scorer created one. New York then missed a three-pointer, giving Chicago an opportunity to extend the lead. Kamilla Cardoso Delivers the Dagger Cloud had already done the scoring damage herself. This time, she created for someone else. With less than a minute remaining, Cloud found Kamilla Cardoso inside. Cardoso converted in the lane with 39.9 seconds remaining , increasing Chicago's advantage and putting New York in a much more difficult position. Cardoso finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds , giving Chicago an important double-double alongside Cloud's career night. Her late basket was especially significant because the Liberty had spent most of the second half fighting their way back into the game. Once New York finally grabbed the lead, Chicago immediately took it away. Cardoso helped make sure the Liberty never reclaimed it. Cloud Closes the Game at the Free-Throw Line New York's comeback effectively ended at the foul line. Cloud went 4-for-4 on free throws during the final 20 seconds , preventing the Liberty from creating another realistic opportunity to take control. Stewart scored with 7.1 seconds remaining , but by then Chicago had already established the separation it needed. The Liberty had gone from taking an 84-83 lead with 2:09 remaining to being held without another point until the final seconds. Chicago had finally finished the job. A Different Ending for the Sky The context made the victory especially meaningful. Chicago had lost both previous meetings with New York this season by one point . Tuesday appeared capable of producing another painful finish. The Sky led by 13. The Liberty rallied. New York took the lead with slightly more than two minutes remaining. Instead of allowing another close game against the Liberty to slip away, Chicago executed. Cloud made the go-ahead jumper. Cardoso scored inside. Cloud converted the late free throws. This time, Chicago was the team making the decisive plays. Sabrina Ionescu's Double-Double Isn't Enough Ionescu's 18 points and 12 assists gave New York an important combination of scoring and playmaking. Together with Stewart's 22 points and Allen's second-half shooting, it gave the Liberty enough offense to erase the double-digit deficit. But New York could not finish the comeback. After Johannes' three-pointer created the 84-83 advantage, the Liberty failed to score on their next several possessions. Against a player having the type of night Cloud was having, those empty trips became decisive. Chicago Gets the Close Win It Had Been Missing The 93-86 victory was defined by Chicago's response after losing control of its lead. Cloud's 35 points will understandably receive most of the attention, but the closing sequence demonstrated why the performance mattered beyond the career-high number. She scored when New York had finally taken the lead. She found Cardoso for another critical basket. Then she made four consecutive free throws to close the game. Chicago didn't simply beat New York because Cloud scored 35. The Sky won because their best player delivered at the exact moment the game threatened to become another narrow loss to the Liberty. New York fell to 22-15 , while Chicago improved to 14-22 . The Liberty next host Indiana on Saturday, and the Sky remain home to face Golden State on Friday. For Chicago, Tuesday's result provided a satisfying reversal. Two one-point losses had defined the season series. In the third meeting, Cloud made sure the Sky finally got their win. 

The Las Vegas Aces entered Thursday night looking for a response after consecutive losses. By the second half, they had turned a one-point game into a rout. Jackie Young scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in only three quarters , A'ja Wilson added 20 points, and the Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun 101-78 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Las Vegas used a dominant third-quarter run to take control, improved to 25-13 , and extended its winning streak over Connecticut to 11 consecutive games. The final 23-point margin hardly reflected how competitive the first half had been. Connecticut trailed by only one point at halftime before Las Vegas dramatically changed the game with its defense, rebounding and transition opportunities. Jackie Young Leads the Aces With 24 Points Young was at the center of the Aces' offensive success. She finished with a game-high 24 points and seven rebounds , accomplishing all of it without playing during the fourth quarter because Las Vegas had already built such a commanding advantage. Her performance was not limited to scoring. Young attacked Connecticut's defense while remaining active on the glass and helping Las Vegas turn a close matchup into a comfortable victory. The photographs included with the supplied material reinforce her central role in the game. On page 3 , Young is shown reacting after scoring, while page 7 captures her making a no-look pass against Connecticut's defense. By the time the fourth quarter began, her work was essentially finished. Las Vegas no longer needed its leading scorer on the floor. Connecticut Keeps It Close Through the First Half The Sun did not initially resemble a team headed toward a 23-point defeat. Connecticut remained within striking distance throughout the opening half and entered the locker room trailing just 48-47 . Olivia Nelson-Ododa was particularly effective early, scoring 12 of her 14 points before halftime . Her production gave Connecticut enough offense to stay with a Las Vegas lineup featuring Young, Wilson and several other proven scorers. At halftime, there was little separation between the teams. That changed almost immediately after the break. A 16-0 Run Breaks the Game Open Las Vegas completely altered the matchup during the third quarter. The Aces unleashed a 16-0 run , turning a competitive game into one controlled by the home team. Connecticut suddenly struggled to generate the same offensive rhythm it had maintained during the first half, while Las Vegas began converting defensive pressure into scoring opportunities. The Aces did not simply improve offensively. They began controlling virtually every part of the game. By the time Connecticut found an answer, Las Vegas had created the type of cushion that allowed Young to spend the entire fourth quarter on the bench. A'ja Wilson Adds 20 Points Young led the scoring, but A'ja Wilson provided another strong performance with 20 points . Wilson's presence gave Connecticut another major problem to solve. The images included in the source material show her involvement throughout the night. Page 6 features Wilson taking the court before the game, while page 18 shows her looking for an open teammate while defended by Nelson-Ododa. With Young creating from the perimeter and Wilson operating as another primary scoring threat, Connecticut's defense eventually became overwhelmed. Las Vegas didn't need Wilson to produce a huge individual scoring total. Twenty points were more than enough. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Gives Las Vegas a Major Bench Boost One of the biggest differences came from the Aces' supporting cast. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench , narrowly missing a double-double. Her production gave Las Vegas another reliable scoring option beyond Young and Wilson. The source material also includes an action photograph on page 12 showing Parker-Tyus reacting after making a three-pointer against Connecticut. When a team already featuring Young and Wilson receives 18 points from a reserve, the margin for error becomes extremely small for its opponent. Connecticut discovered that quickly in the second half. Las Vegas Dominates the Rebounding Battle The Aces controlled the glass almost as decisively as they controlled the scoreboard. Las Vegas outrebounded Connecticut 40-23 . That 17-rebound advantage limited Connecticut's second opportunities while helping the Aces secure possessions and push the ball in the other direction. Parker-Tyus accounted for nine rebounds herself, while Young added seven. For Connecticut, the inability to compete consistently on the glass made recovering from the third-quarter run even more difficult. Missed shots frequently became the end of possessions. Against Las Vegas, that was costly. Connecticut's 19 Turnovers Become 28 Aces Points The Sun's other major problem was ball security. Connecticut committed 19 turnovers , and Las Vegas converted those mistakes into 28 points . That number helps explain how dramatically the game changed. The Aces were not simply forcing turnovers. They were turning those takeaways into immediate offensive production. One of the photographs in the supplied document illustrates that defensive pressure. On page 9 , Stephanie Talbot is shown stealing the ball from Nelson-Ododa during the matchup. Against an Aces team capable of scoring quickly, empty possessions were particularly damaging. Connecticut gave Las Vegas too many of them. Aces Continue Pulling Away in the Fourth The third-quarter surge put Las Vegas in control. The beginning of the fourth removed any realistic possibility of a Connecticut comeback. Las Vegas opened the final period with a 12-2 run , stretching its advantage to 87-65 . At that point, Young remained on the bench. The Aces no longer needed to rely heavily on their starters because the supporting rotation continued producing. The source material includes several images of that depth in action, including Chelsea Gray scoring on page 10 and Mai Yamamoto celebrating a three-pointer on page 15 . Las Vegas had transformed a 48-47 halftime advantage into a 22-point lead early in the fourth. That was the game. Jewell Loyd Reaches Another WNBA Milestone The victory also included a career milestone for Jewell Loyd . Loyd moved into eighth place on the WNBA's all-time list for made three-pointers , reaching 728 career threes . It was another accomplishment within a game where Las Vegas received contributions throughout its lineup. Young led the scoring. Wilson supplied 20. Parker-Tyus nearly recorded a double-double. And Loyd continued climbing the league's historical three-point rankings. Connecticut Receives Balanced Scoring but Not Enough Nelson-Ododa finished as Connecticut's leading scorer with 14 points , but most of that production came before halftime. Kennedy Burke and Leila Lacan scored 11 points each , while Charlisse Leger-Walker added 10 . The Sun had enough balanced production to remain competitive early. They didn't have enough to match Las Vegas once the Aces raised their level after halftime. The turnovers and rebounding deficit magnified the difference. Connecticut simply wasn't getting enough opportunities to keep pace. Las Vegas Extends Its Dominance Over Connecticut The victory continued a remarkably one-sided stretch in the matchup. Las Vegas has now defeated Connecticut 11 consecutive times . Thursday's game also demonstrated how quickly the Aces can change a matchup. For 20 minutes, Connecticut stayed with them. The Sun entered halftime down only 48-47. Then Las Vegas produced a 16-0 third-quarter run, followed it with a 12-2 burst to begin the fourth, and finished with 101 points . The Aces also snapped their own two-game losing streak in the process. Aces Get the Response They Needed Las Vegas didn't merely end its losing streak. The Aces produced the type of second-half performance that demonstrated how dangerous they can become once their defense begins creating offense. They won the rebounding battle by 17. They scored 28 points off Connecticut's 19 turnovers. Young scored 24 without playing in the fourth quarter. Wilson added 20. Parker-Tyus supplied 18 off the bench. The result was a 101-78 victory that looked nothing like the one-point game that existed at halftime. Connecticut will next travel to face Los Angeles, while Las Vegas heads to Toronto. For the Aces, Thursday provided exactly the response they were looking for. A close first half became a dominant second. And by the end of the night, Las Vegas had another triple-digit victory and its 11th consecutive win over the Sun .