The WNBA restarts on September 17, four days after the United States beat France 97-79 for World Cup gold in Berlin. Breanna Stewart scored 22 points in the final. Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese return to Atlanta as champions. Ezi Magbegor will not return to Seattle at all: the Australian forward tore an ACL during the tournament.
That is a lot to absorb before tipoff.
Every WNBA team has four games left. The regular season ends September 24, and the playoffs begin September 27. All eight postseason places are taken, but the bracket remains unsettled. Minnesota leads 31-9. The Golden State Valkyries sit two games back. New York, Washington, and Dallas share 24-16 records in sixth, seventh, and eighth.
Thursday’s five games will expose different kinds of readiness. Atlanta must reunite two World Cup teammates with its club offense. Dallas wants to keep a winning streak alive after the long pause. Las Vegas heads to a Seattle team suddenly missing one of its best defenders. Whoever finds their legs first could gain an edge that lasts into the playoffs.
Four Games Left and Everyone Wants a Better Draw
The WNBA paused for the September 4–13 World Cup while its playoff field was nearly complete. Teams now have four games to sort out seeds and prepare for a postseason that starts just three days after the final regular-season date.
Minnesota owns a two-game lead over Golden State. Las Vegas follows at 27-13, with Atlanta and Indiana both at 26-14. Farther down, the Liberty, Mystics, and Wings remain tied at 24-16. One win can change a first-round opponent. One loss can send a team on the road.
If teams finish tied, their games against each other could decide who gets the better seed. That puts extra weight on every result, even though Thursday cannot settle the bracket by itself. Coaches face another problem: World Cup players spent the break competing, traveling, and practicing under a different system. Their teammates spent it waiting to play.
Thursday Starts with Five Games and No Warmup
All times are Eastern.
| Matchup | Time | Where to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream | 7:30 p.m. | WNBA League Pass |
| Washington Mystics at Chicago Sky | 7:30 p.m. | WNBA League Pass |
| Los Angeles Sparks at Dallas Wings | 8:00 p.m. | USA Network |
| Phoenix Mercury at Portland Fire | 10:00 p.m. | WNBA League Pass |
| Las Vegas Aces at Seattle Storm | 10:00 p.m. | USA Network |
Atlanta’s Gold Medalists Have No Time to Ease Back In
Reese Can Break a Game Before She Scores
Angel Reese plays for the Dream this season. Chicago traded her to Atlanta in April 2026 for two first-round picks. She and Howard then helped Team USA win gold in Berlin.
Before the break, Reese grabbed a WNBA-record 26 rebounds against Los Angeles. She also broke the single-season rebounding record and entered September averaging a double-double. Against Connecticut, watch her feet before the ball hits the rim. If she seals her defender early, Atlanta can turn missed shots into extra possessions even while its offense shakes off the layoff.
Howard averaged 17.0 points entering the World Cup. Her first drive on Thursday will show whether she and Reese have slipped straight back into Atlanta’s rhythm. If Howard draws help and Reese finds space behind it, the Dream has a combination Connecticut must solve all night.
Atlanta stood 26-14 at the pause; the Sun were 10-30. The Dream should seize this home game. Indiana shares their record, and neither team can afford to waste a chance to climb.
Dallas Wants Win No. 5 and a Better Seed
The Second Defender Is Bueckers’ Real Test
Paige Bueckers was Dallas’s No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, arriving after her UConn career. Now the Wings have a playoff berth, a sharp turn from their 10-34 finish last season.
Dallas carried a four-game winning streak into the break. Bueckers had 15 points and six assists in the Wings’ last game, a 97-71 win over Connecticut. The Sparks visit Arlington having won their own final two games before the pause.
Watch Bueckers when Los Angeles stops Dallas’s first action. She can score through the initial opening; the tougher playoff question concerns what she does when a second defender closes it. Can she change pace, keep her dribble, and find a teammate before the shot clock traps her?
A fifth straight win would help Dallas separate itself from New York and Washington in that 24-16 cluster. A close game could also give the Wings valuable late possessions. They have already earned their place in the playoffs. Now they have to improve it.
Seattle Has to Defend the Paint Without Magbegor
Ezi Magbegor tore an ACL while playing for Australia at the World Cup and will miss the rest of Seattle’s season. Reuters reported the injury on September 10. Katie Lou Samuelson will also miss the Storm’s final four games after a knee procedure.
Seattle was last at 8-32 before the restart. Thursday’s test goes beyond its record. Without Magbegor, who steps into the lane when Las Vegas drives? Who covers the shooter when that player helps? Watch the Aces’ first few attacks at the rim for answers.
Las Vegas enters at 27-13, close enough to fight for a better seed. The Aces also need their rotation ready for September 27. Build a lead, and they can control minutes. Let Seattle hang around, and the night becomes a test of their fourth-quarter execution.
The Storm have their own fight. Players must adjust to Magbegor’s absence while absorbing the loss of a teammate who was injured while representing her country. Four games give them little time to find a new defensive shape.
Portland Can See Its Future in Leite’s Hands
The Portland Fire entered the pause at 16-24, ninth in their first season since the city returned to the WNBA. They cannot make the playoffs, but their final home games can show what this expansion club has begun to build.
Carla Leite leads Portland with 15.9 points and 6.3 assists per game. The French guard spent the break at the World Cup, then returned to a team that relies on her to start its offense. Against Phoenix, watch her turn the corner on a screen. If the Mercury cut off her drive, can she deliver the next pass before their defense resets?
That decision affects more than Thursday’s score. Portland needs to know which players can finish the looks Leite creates and which combinations hold up when opponents take away her first option. Head coach Alex Sarama has four games left to learn.
Phoenix arrives at 14-26. Neither club has a postseason seed to chase. Both can still make the other work for every possession.
Berlin Is Over, and the Clock Is Running
Stewart, Reese and Howard return with gold medals from a final that demanded a comeback. The Americans trailed France by 14 in the first half before winning by 18. Four days later, their WNBA teammates need them to remember different plays, recognize different screens, and recover between games that come fast.
That shift will show up before anyone mentions jet lag. Reese may reach a rebound half a step late. Howard could pause before making a pass she usually sees at once. A player might look fresh in the first quarter, then struggle to regain that burst after a long stint on the bench. Coaches must read those signs while the standings urge them to win now.
Seattle faces a harsher return. Magbegor’s injury changes its defense for the rest of the season. Portland’s Leite comes back from France’s World Cup run to lead an expansion team through its last four games. Every locker room has a different story from Berlin, and Thursday asks each one to turn that story back into WNBA basketball.
By September 27, the league will have its playoff pairings. Before then, the players must move from national-team triumph or disappointment to the demands waiting at home. Four games leave room for a late surge. They leave almost no room to catch your breath.
READ MORE: WNBA Regular Season Restart on September 17: Best Playoff Bracket Angles for Fans to Follow
FAQs
When does the WNBA regular season restart?
The WNBA returns on September 17 with five games. Every team has four regular-season games left.
What WNBA games are on September 17?
Atlanta hosts Connecticut, Chicago hosts Washington, Dallas hosts Los Angeles, Portland hosts Phoenix, and Seattle hosts Las Vegas.
Are any WNBA playoff spots still open?
No. All eight teams have clinched, but the final games will decide their seeds and first-round matchups.
When do the 2026 WNBA playoffs begin?
The regular season ends September 24. The playoffs start September 27.
Does Angel Reese play for the Atlanta Dream?
Yes. Chicago traded Reese to Atlanta in April 2026. She and Dream teammate Rhyne Howard then won World Cup gold with Team USA.
