WNBA Playoffs Begin, Man City Found Guilty on 114 Charges
The short version
- WNBA playoffs open with eight teams and conclude in roughly four weeks; Lynx are the No. 1 seed and betting favorite
- Projections favor Golden State (plus-9.1 net rating) despite an 0-3 mark against Las Vegas, which won three of the last four titles
- Manchester City was found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League charges and could face fines, points deductions or expulsion; the club can appeal
- Steph Curry signed a two-year extension about $20 million under the max with Golden State
- Jayden Daniels avoids surgery and IR; Jaxson Dart faces 4-6 months out after meniscus repair
An eight-team WNBA postseason opens with no clear favorite, while Manchester City faces severe potential sanctions and Curry, Daniels and Celebrini headline the day's other news.
The WNBA playoffs tip off Saturday with a compressed format that will wrap up in roughly four weeks. Only eight teams qualified, and the league's 30th season will crown a champion in short order. Fans looking to tune in have a wide-open field: the narrow gap between contenders makes this one of the hardest postseasons to pick in recent memory.
Minnesota earned the No. 1 seed behind coach Cheryl Reeve, the league's winningest bench boss, and the pairing of Napheesa Collier and Olivia Miles, with Miles having broken Caitlin Clark's rookie scoring record. Golden State, in its first season of existence, took the No. 2 spot, while Las Vegas — champions in three of the last four years behind A'ja Wilson — sits at No. 3. Atlanta, Washington, Indiana, Dallas and New York round out the field in that order.
The betting market favors the Lynx, with the Aces also expected by oddsmakers to reach the Finals. Analytics projections, however, lean toward the Valkyries, who posted the WNBA's best net rating at plus-9.1 points per 100 possessions. That case comes with a caveat: Golden State went 0-3 against Las Vegas this season and 1-3 against Minnesota. Reporter Sabreena Merchant noted the playoff teams were separated by just .159 in win percentage, and that as long as Wilson — a soon-to-be five-time MVP — is in a Las Vegas uniform, the Aces are difficult to bet against.
Individual storylines dot the bracket. Caitlin Clark returns to the playoffs with an Indiana team that averaged more points than any squad in league history. Paige Bueckers, the 2025 Rookie of the Year, makes her first postseason trip with Dallas, while Angel Reese reaches her first playoffs in her initial season with Atlanta. Washington turned a rebuild into a berth in just two years, and New York arrives two seasons removed from a title.
In the day's biggest international story, Manchester City was found guilty on 114 of 115 charges brought by the Premier League following a case that took roughly three and a half years to conclude. The club had expected to be cleared. Punishment has not yet been determined: Athletic FC author Phil Hay said the league's options include fines, points deductions and even expulsion from the division, and that while the sanctions figure to be severe given the scope of the charges, predicting specifics would be guesswork. City can appeal, and several teams are reportedly exploring legal action against the club.
Elsewhere in the NBA, Stephen Curry and the Warriors agreed to a two-year extension worth about $20 million below the maximum, creating financial flexibility for Golden State. A Cooper Flagg trading card sold for $8 million, and the Mavericks forward says he has grown an inch since winning Rookie of the Year. Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, last season's runner-up for that award, will miss preseason and likely the start of the regular season with a hamstring injury.
On the NFL injury front, Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels is not expected to need surgery or a trip to injured reserve, and Seattle's Sam Darnold is set to play Sunday. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart faces a recovery of four to six months after a full meniscus repair, though a playoff return remains technically possible.
In baseball and hockey, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said he now regrets his comment that players are paid for what they have already done rather than what they will do. San Jose named 20-year-old Macklin Celebrini as Sharks captain, the youngest player to hold that role in the NHL since Connor McDavid a decade ago. USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged some regrets about Folarin Balogun's red card appeal but declined to elaborate.
For viewers planning their schedules, the WNBA postseason is the main draw, running about four weeks from Saturday with eight teams and quick-turnaround rounds. Expert predictions and a full viewing guide are available for those mapping out what to watch.
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