After going toe-to-toe in last year’s finals and keeping their cores together, the Lynx and Liberty entered the season as the favorites for the 2025 WNBA Championship. When both teams started the season off with commanding win streaks, it seemed that they were on a collision course to meet in the finals again.
Other teams—none more so than the Atlanta Dream—also established themselves as possible contenders, though. Atlanta is one of five teams that have beaten both New York and Minnesota. After a 75-73 win, the Dream are the only team to beat the Lynx twice this season—once with Collier and once without her.
Atlanta has now secured 23 wins and the sole possession of the second seed. After a loss to the Chicago Sky on the same night that the Dream beat the Lynx, New York has fallen all the way to fourth place. The Dream continue to prove that they are one of the best teams in the league, and the possibility that they will go to the finals instead of one of the Lynx or Liberty is becoming more and more plausible.
Atlanta has everything it takes to win at the highest level
Most championship teams have a solid combination of these assets: star power, veterans with playoff experience, trustworthy role players, and the ability to excel on both ends of the floor.
Atlanta has all of these things. Allisha Gray is an MVP candidate and almost sure-fire All-WNBA First Team selection. She scored 27 points on almost 50 percent shooting from the field against the Lynx’s stifling defense. Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones were also selected as All-Stars, even though the latter only made it as an injury replacement. Jones and Brittney Griner also have plenty of playoff experience. Griner is a WNBA Champion and Jones went on several deep playoff runs with the Connecticut Sun.
Naz Hillmon has been outstanding as the Dream’s sixth player. Rookie Te-Hina Paopao has also been a pleasant surprise, filling in well in Jordin Canada’s absence, and veterans Maya Caldwell, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, and Nia Coffey can also play important minutes off the bench.
Led by Allisha Gray, who ranks fourth in total points scored, the Dream have the third-best offensive rating in the league. They also rank second in defensive rating. Atlanta has been a true two-way force this season.
The playoff race is still very close
If the season ended today, the Lynx and Liberty would be on the same side of the playoff bracket, paving the way for the Dream to come out on top on the other side. The playoff standings are far from decided, though.
Atlanta is only half a game ahead of the surging Las Vegas Aces and one game ahead of the Liberty. From now on, every game could change the standings completely. Only the Lynx have a playoff spot secured and are still very likely to hold on to the No. 1 seed.
Compared to other contenders and playoff hopefuls, the Dream have a rather relaxed schedule left. Yes, they still have to face New York and Las Vegas in consecutive games, but they also still have three games left against the Sun and one against the Wings.