WNBA playoff picture: Standings, schedule as Aces win 12th straight game to grab control of No. 2 seed

Just two 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 Wednesday, the Las Vegas Aces held off a late comeback attempt from the Atlanta Dream to run their winning streak to 12 games and take sole possession of second place. Las Vegas has now tied the seventh-longest winning streak in WNBA history. 

The action will continue Thursday with three more games, all of which have playoff implications:

• Washington Mystics at New York Liberty, 7 p.m. ET -- Amazon
• Seattle Storm at Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m. ET -- League Pass
• Chicago Sky at Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m. ET -- Amazon

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. Las Vegas Aces (26-14) -- Clinched playoff berth
3. Atlanta Dream (24-14) 
4. Phoenix Mercury (23-14)
5. New York Liberty (23-15)
6. Indiana Fever (20-18)
7. Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
8. Seattle Storm (20-19)
9. Los Angeles Sparks (17-19)
10. Washington Mystics (16-22)
11. Connecticut Sun (10-28) -- Eliminated from playoff contention
12. Chicago Sky (9-28) -- Eliminated from playoff contention
13. Dallas Wings (9-30) -- 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

Aces beat Dream to take control of second place

• 2. Las Vegas Aces (26-14)
• 3. Atlanta Dream (24-14)
• 4. Phoenix Mercury (23-14)
• 5. New York Liberty (23-15)

The Aces continued their incredible hot streak Wednesday by beating the Dream in Atlanta to win their 12th consecutive game and take control of second place. They now have a one-game lead on the other three teams in this group, but still have some work to do. Just two games separate these four teams

Mystics fading as four teams battle for final three spots

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

The bottom half of the playoff picture has tightened, and there are now just two games separating the Fever in sixth from the Sparks in ninth. The Fever picked up a huge win Tuesday when they crushed the Storm to vault back into sixth and send the Storm down into ninth. The Sparks had a chance to gain ground on the Valkyries and Storm, but were unable to do so in a loss to the Mercury. 

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 Storm. That's probably too big of a gap for them to make up at this point. 

Lottery bound

• 11. Connecticut Sun (10-28)
• 12. Chicago Sky (9-28)
• 13. Dallas Wings (9-30)

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.