After attempting to sort through the muddled middle of the playoff race on Monday, we’re taking a look at the the three teams at the top and three teams at the bottom of the standings, assessing the postseason readiness of the title-contending Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun before evaluating the future prospects of the lottery-bound Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury.
Las Vegas Aces (30-6)
What to make of the current state of the Aces?
On one hand, it seems fair to be more than a bit concerned about their recent play. For the first time this season, they lost back-to-back games, falling to the Mystics and then the Liberty. In their last 10 games, they are 6-4.
Of course, a majority of the league’s teams would be thrilled to go 6-4 in a 10-game stretch. And even as they have taken four losses in the month of August, the Aces still have the second-best net rating in the league for the month. There’s also everything that came before August. Through the season’s first three months, Vegas eviscerated the rest of the league, with a 24-2 record and 19.0 net rating.
Is the late-season slippage simply due to the wear, weariness and waning focus caused by a long season, with arrival of the playoffs providing the adrenaline rush needed…
