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Just a few weeks remain in the WNBA regular season and the playoff push has produced some thrilling action. Each team has fewer than 10 games remaining, and 10 of the league's 13 teams are within reach of a playoff spot. And while the Minnesota Lynx -- who officially clinched a playoff spot earlier this month -- have opened up a huge lead in the race for the No. 1 seed, every other seed remains up for grabs. 

On Monday, the Las Vegas Aces held off the Chicago Sky to extend their winning streak to 11 games and become the second team to officially clinch a playoff berth. Elsewhere, the New York Liberty got Breanna Stewart back and withstood a comeback attempt from the Connecticut Sun to get back to winning ways. 

The action will continue Tuesday with two more games, both of which have major playoff implications:

As a reminder, the top eight teams make the playoffs, regardless of conference. From there, they are placed into a standard eight-team bracket. The first round of the playoffs is a best-of-three, while the semifinals are a best-of-five and the Finals, as of this season, are a best-of-seven. 

The regular season will conclude on Sept. 11 and the playoffs begin on Sept. 14. The last possible Finals date is Oct. 19. 

Standings

  1. Minnesota Lynx (30-7) -- Clinched playoff berth
  2. Atlanta Dream (24-13)
  3. Las Vegas Aces (25-14) -- Clinched playoff berth
  4. Phoenix Mercury (22-14)
  5. New York Liberty (23-15)
  6. Seattle Storm (20-18)
  7. Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
  8. Indiana Fever (19-18)
  9. Los Angeles Sparks (17-18)
  10. Washington Mystics (16-22)
  11. Connecticut Sun (9-28) -- Eliminated from playoff contention
  12. Chicago Sky (9-28) -- Eliminated from playoff contention
  13. Dallas Wings (9-29) -- Eliminated from playoff contention

Note: Two-team ties are decided first by head-to-head record and then, if necessary, by better record against .500+ teams. Ties between more than two teams are determined by the combined head-to-head record against the other teams. 

Lynx running away with No. 1 seed

  • 1. Minnesota Lynx (30-7)

Napheesa Collier returned to action Sunday and picked up right where she left off with a 32-point effort in a comfortable win over the Fever. The Lynx became the first team to reach 30 wins this season and tied the franchise record for wins in a season. 

Napheesa Collier injury update: Lynx star, WNBA MVP favorite goes off for 32 points in return
Jack Maloney
Napheesa Collier injury update: Lynx star, WNBA MVP favorite goes off for 32 points in return

Dream maintain hold on No. 2 seed ahead of red-hot Aces

  • 2. Atlanta Dream (24-13)
  • 3. Las Vegas Aces (25-14)
  • 4. Phoenix Mercury (22-14)
  • 5. New York Liberty (23-15)

The Aces continued their incredible hot streak with an 11th consecutive win on Tuesday and have become the second team to clinch a playoff spot, but remain in third place. Likewise, the Liberty picked up a victory Tuesday, and got Breanna Stewart back from a month-long absence, but stayed in fifth place. Just 1½ games separate these four teams

Mystics fading as four teams battle for final three spots

  • 6. Seattle Storm (20-18)
  • 7. Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
  • 8. Indiana Fever (19-18)
  • 9. Los Angeles Sparks (17-18)
  • 10. Washington Mystics (16-22)

The bottom half of the playoff picture has tightened, and there are now just 1½ games separating the Storm in sixth from the Sparks in ninth. The Storm beat the Mystics on a buzzer-beater Sunday, while the Valkyries took care of the Wings and the Fever lost to the Lynx. Those results meant the Storm jumped into sixth, the Valkyries jumped into seventh and the Fever fell all the way to eighth. 

The Mystics were right in the mix a week ago, but have now lost four games in a row to fall 3½ games behind the eighth-place Fever. That's probably too big of a gap for them to make up at this point. 

Lottery bound

  • 11. Connecticut Sun (9-28)
  • 12. Chicago Sky (9-28)
  • 13. Dallas Wings (9-29)

This season has been a disaster for all three of these teams. The Sky have been beset by injuries, the Wings' offseason moves didn't pan out and the Sun were never going to be good after their offseason departures. All of them are now officially lottery bound, but only the Wings control their own pick. 

The Sky owe their first to the Lynx, while the Sun owe the Sky swap rights to their first rounder. The Sky also own Mercury's first rounder, so the Sky will get the more favorable of the Sun/Mercury picks, while the Sun will get the least favorable of those selections.