WNBA Tonight

July 22, 2026

Six WNBA Games Tonight Before the All-Star Break: Collier Probable for Her Lynx Season Debut

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Six games close the first half on the eve of the All-Star break: Napheesa Collier is probable to make her Lynx season debut in Seattle, Clark and the East-leading Fever host the Sun on USA Network, Bueckers is questionable for the Wings' nightcap in Portland on USA and CNBC, and the defending-champion Aces visit a Mystics team that just ended the league's longest streak. No games Thursday through Monday; the All-Star Game is Saturday in Chicago.

Minnesota Lynx (21-6) at Seattle Storm (6-22): Collier probable for her season debut

Tipoff 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. No national TV: CW Seattle, Prime Video-Seattle, Victory+ (Minnesota) and WNBA League Pass.

The storyline is the debut that has been 27 games coming. Napheesa Collier, the two-time MVP runner-up and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, is probable to play for the first time this season after offseason surgery on both ankles. She tore three ligaments in her left ankle in Game 3 of last year's semifinals and has watched her team go 21-6 without her, the best record in the league, behind rookie point guard Olivia Miles. The "probable" tag is not a guarantee, but it is the closest Collier has been all year.

The Lynx are riding a six-game winning streak and just beat this same Storm team 105-102 on Monday, when Miles went for 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, a stat line only four other players in WNBA history have reached and one no rookie had managed since Candace Parker. Kayla McBride added 33 and was named WNBA Player of the Week. Seattle is at the other end, 6-22 with a five-game losing streak, though it took Indiana to the wire Friday and lost to Minnesota by only three Monday. Ezi Magbegor is out with a facial fracture. A Lynx win is their seventh straight and sends them into the break alone in first, two up on Las Vegas.

Connecticut Sun (7-19) at Indiana Fever (16-10): a win gives Indiana sole possession of the East, on USA Network

Tipoff 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. National TV: USA Network (also DIRECTV, Sling, Fubo and WNBA League Pass; WTHR-13 local).

Indiana is tied with the idle Atlanta Dream at 16-10 atop the Eastern Conference, so a win sends the Fever into the All-Star break with the East lead to themselves. Caitlin Clark is probable with the back issue that has followed her all season and is expected to play; she is averaging 25 points over her last three games, including the 45-point, 10-assist night that was the first 40-10 game in WNBA history. Aliyah Boston is not on the injury report and should be available, while reserve center Damiris Dantas is out with a left knee injury.

Connecticut is 7-19 in its farewell season before relocating to Houston in 2027, one of the league's lowest-scoring teams and led by Brittney Griner, who returned to Phoenix on Sunday as a member of the Sun. This is the Fever's last game before the break, and their chance to bank some separation before the schedule goes dark.

Las Vegas Aces (18-7) at Washington Mystics (13-12): the defending champs meet the team that just ended the longest streak

Tipoff 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT at CareFirst Arena in Washington. No national TV: Monumental Sports Network (MNMT), Vegas 34 and WNBA League Pass.

This is the first meeting of the season between two teams trending in opposite directions, and it is a measuring stick for the league's youngest roster. Las Vegas rolled to a 109-83 win in Toronto on Monday behind A'ja Wilson's 26 points and Jackie Young's season-high 24 and 12 assists, the Aces' fourth straight road win. Wilson leads the league in scoring at 25.6 and was named to her eighth straight All-Star game, yet coach Becky Hammon said her team is "not a championship product yet."

Washington comes home after ending Golden State's nine-game winning streak, closing on a 17-2 run to win 90-82 behind Kiki Iriafen's 23 points and 12 rebounds and Shakira Austin's 15 and 15. The Mystics are 13-12, hold the eighth and final playoff spot and sit half a game behind the seventh-place Liberty, who also play tonight. They rank third in defensive rating but 14th in scoring, so this is their defense against the Aces' third-ranked offense. Las Vegas is 11-2 on the road, tied with Minnesota for the league's best mark.

Dallas Wings (17-9) at Portland Fire (11-15): Bueckers questionable after the head injury, on USA Network and CNBC

Tipoff 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT at Moda Center in Portland. National TV: USA Network and CNBC (also KFAA-TV in Dallas, Fox 12 Plus in Portland and WNBA League Pass).

Paige Bueckers is questionable for Wednesday after hitting the back of her head on the court in Sunday's win over the Sparks. The team cleared her from a concussion after an extensive evaluation and she is not in the league's concussion protocol, but lingering soreness kept her out of Monday's overtime loss to the Liberty, which snapped Dallas's franchise-record-tying six-game streak. The Wings are 17-7 with Bueckers and 0-2 without her, as covered Monday.

Dallas still carries a four-game road winning streak into Portland and is 4.5-point favorite. The Fire are 11-15, ninth in the standings and chasing the Mystics for the last playoff spot, roughly three games back. Carla Leite leads Portland at 15.5 points and 5.8 assists. This is the nightcap and the second of two national-TV games on the slate.

Chicago Sky (9-17) at New York Liberty (14-12): the slumping 2024 champs try to keep their playoff spot

Tipoff 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. No national TV: CW26, Fox 5 New York, Liberty Live and WNBA League Pass.

New York is the league's cautionary tale of the first half: the 2024 champions and this year's Commissioner's Cup winners are 14-12, seventh in the standings and half a game above the playoff cut line, having lost eight of 11. They snapped a four-game skid Monday when Breanna Stewart went for 33 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists and Sabrina Ionescu scored 21 in an overtime win at Dallas. The Liberty remain without Satou Sabally, in concussion protocol since June 23, and Leonie Fiebich, out with a foot injury.

Chicago is 9-17, 12th in the league and 1-8 against the Eastern Conference, and arrives without its biggest offseason addition. Skylar Diggins has not played since July 3 with a knee injury, and Rickea Jackson is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Sky lost the first meeting 96-95 on Ionescu's game-winning layup with 10 seconds left in June. New York is favored by 9.5.

Phoenix Mercury (9-18) at Los Angeles Sparks (10-15): two slumps meet in the matinee

Tipoff 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. No national TV: Arizona's Family 3TV, Merc+, Spectrum Sports Net and WNBA League Pass.

Both teams are trying to feel better about the first half. Phoenix snapped a five-game skid Sunday with a 72-63 win over Connecticut in which DeWanna Bonner scored 21 and became the Mercury's all-time rebounding leader, passing Brittney Griner, who was on the floor for the Sun. Kahleah Copper added 18. Los Angeles has lost four straight, an 0-4 road trip that began the day general manager Raegan Pebley was fired on July 12 and ended with Sunday's 90-82 loss in Dallas. The Sparks have been without All-Star guard Kelsey Plum for a month because of a lower leg injury and are 2-7 in her absence, though Nneka Ogwumike is averaging 20.2 over her last 10. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite at home.

Tracking

Monday's results (the last games before tonight)

Tonight closes the first half. The league goes dark Thursday through Monday for All-Star weekend, with the All-Star Game on Saturday, Team Spoon against Team Coop at 8:30 PM ET from the United Center in Chicago. Regular game-night coverage resumes when the schedule does, the week of July 28.

That’s the reading for this issue.