WNBA Fast Break Classic | Run 9 | Day 9
Today’s Objective(s): 65 Points Scored & 20 Field Goals Made
Overview:
We have reached another final day of a Fast Break run and this one has been, generally speaking, more successful than many of the prior runs. As standard though, the final few days become more challenging as player options typically start to deteriorate. This run is no different as we saw a little under 50% earn a win.
Speaking of less than expected win rates, Seattle’s collapse against Los Angeles gives the Sparks some life and more control of their destiny as they have five games to play compared to Seattle’s two. With their win, LA holds the advantage in their season series, which could have meaningful playoff implications should the two teams tie. But the road ahead is tumultuous as four of their final five games are against top four teams (Atlanta x2, Phoenix, & Las Vegas). Seattle’s final two games are also against playoff teams, so the Sparks aren’t out of the mix entirely. Golden State and Indiana are also in the mix of potentially falling out of the postseason if they sputter toward the end of the season.
WNBA Score(s): September 1st
Dream Dominate Sun to Stay Atop the East (ATL 93, CON 76)
Atlanta continued its push for the No. 2 overall seed with a convincing lopsided win over Connecticut. The Dream shot 50% from the field and outscored the Sun 26–10 in the fourth quarter to turn the tide and put the game away. Rhyne Howard led the way with 23 points, while Brionna Jones added 10 points and 11 rebounds. Connecticut led at the end of the half, but struggled to contain Atlanta’s perimeter movement and transition game in the second half, which was ultimately their demise.
Lynx Roll Past Wings to Hit 32 Wins (MIN 96, DAL 71)
Minnesota cruised to a double-digit win over Dallas, marking their 32nd victory of the season and reinforcing their dominance atop the league. The Lynx shot 48.6% from the field and held the Wings to just 36.2%, controlling the pace from start to finish. Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams led a balanced scoring effort, while Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense and dropped its eighth straight game.
Sparks Close Strong to Stun Storm in Seattle (LAS (91, SEA 85)
Los Angeles erased a late deficit with an 11–0 run to close the game, defeating Seattle 91–85 in a high-stakes Western Conference clash. Dearica Hamby posted 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Rickea Jackson added 23, including a buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter. Kelsey Plum chipped in 14 points, and Rae Burrell added 11 off the bench. Seattle, led by 21 points each from Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins, missed its final five shots as the Sparks dominated the paint 60–30 and the boards 37–23.
Recap: Day 8
Day 8 was the third day of this run where less than 50% of Fast Break participants earned a win as only 44% walked away unscathed. Of the top five players utilized yesterday, Brionna Jones was the most utilized (in 69% of lineups) and she came through as she contributed 11 rebounds and 2 free throws made. With her performance, she earned the Fast Break Star of the Day. Honorable mention goes to Allisha Gray as she had a massive 11 free throws along with 5 rebounds. As free throws were the differentiating factor between a win or loss, anyone who started her was incredibly happy with her performance.
Of the other four players, Jessica Shepard was the only player who did not have a single free throw, although she did gather 8 rebounds. Since free throws were so significant though, her performance likely contributed to many of the losses yesterday and earned her the Fast Break Dud of the Day award.
Today’s Matchups:
New York Liberty (24-16) @ Golden State Valkyries (21-18) | 10:00PM ET | 2:00AM UTC
Tonight at Chase Center, the new face the Golden State Valkyries (19–18) in their fourth and final regular-season meeting. New York enters as the favorite with a 68.3% win probability, having won all three previous matchups by an average margin of 12 points. Sabrina Ionescu continues to pace the Liberty with 19.2 points per game, while Jonquel Jones anchors the interior. Golden State will look to Veronica Burton & Janelle Salaun to keep pace, but with Monique Billings and Iliana Rupert sidelined, depth remains a concern. Expect New York’s perimeter shooting and ball movement to dictate tempo and close out the season series with a win.
Indiana Fever (21-19) @ Phoenix Mercury (25-14) | 10:00PM ET | 2:00AM UTC
Out west at PHX Arena, the Phoenix Mercury host the Indiana Fever in a matchup that favors the home team with a 71% win probability. Phoenix has leaned heavily on Kahleah Copper’s scoring and Alyssa Thomas’s versatility, while Indiana counters with Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. The Fever are without Caitlin Clark and Aari McDonald (among others), which limits their backcourt firepower. With Phoenix pushing for a top-four seed and Indiana battling injuries, the Mercury are projected to control the glass and extend their home win streak.
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Today’s Objective(s): Day 9
You’ll need five (5) players who will score 65.0 or more points & make 20.0 or more field goals, which means each player will need to average 13.0 PTS and 4.0 FGM. As these two objectives are highly correlated, you’ll want players who make buckets in volumes. Three pointers and two pointers count as single field goals, but they’re still points. Free throws are not your friend today. Depending on your remaining options, here are the best players based on projections and season averages.
Top Player Options:
Little of Both: Kelsey Mitchell, Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, Aliyah Boston, Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones
Point Scorers: Kelsey Mitchell, Kahleah Copper, Aliyah Boston, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones
Walking Buckets: Kelsey Mitchell, Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, Jonquel Jones, Aliyah Boston, Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart
Top Five (5) Players in Pro Lineups: A. Boston (54%) | N. Howard (51%) | S. Ionescu (47%) | K. Copper (42%) | S. Sabally (41%)
Upcoming Fast Break Objectives:
Objectives (tomorrow): Run 10 TBD
Considerations:
The final run of the 2025 WNBA Season takes place September 3-11 (9 days)
Statistical Approach:
Top players in points scored & field goals made according to Rotowire & WNBA.com, which is available in the table(s) below. Overall rank is based on daily projections and season averages, which is stack ranked amongst peers for each objective. When there is a single objective, the three data points are still used to stack rank the players vs. ranking solely on projections. For tome+ members, all active player stats are available in the provided data file. Omission of certain players would be based on injuries at the time of data pull.
Classic Run Rewards:
Daily Reward: Top 200
Milestone Reward: 3, 6, & 9 Wins
Run Reward: Top 250
Additional Links & Resources:
nbatopshot.com/fastbreak - set your lineup
Flowty.io - find/rent moments for your Fast Break roster
Top Player Options for Fast Break:
The top players for today’s Fast Break objective(s). Source: Rotowire & WNBA.com, 2025.
Projected Points Scored
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Projected Field Goals Made
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Projected PTS & FGM
WNBA Fast Break Grid
*Note: there was an error in the grid as it only showed two teams in action on September 2nd when there are four.
It's essential to consider the opponents, recent performance, and any injury updates before finalizing your Fast Break lineup. Additionally, staying up to date on the latest news and adjusting your roster accordingly will enhance your chances of earning a win today.
WNBA Key Dates:
September 11: Regular Season Ends
September 14-October 17: WNBA Playoffs
Power Rankings (Week 14):
There is a little over a week remaining in the WNBA regular season and things are getting down to the wire and there are two clear battles happening — the first is seeding and the fight for the first round home court advantage and the other is securing a spot in the postseason. Minnesota is the only team that clearly knows their seeding for the playoffs whereas four teams are jockeying for the top three seeds.
There are also four teams pushing to land the three playoff spots with Los Angeles currently on the outside looking in. How they fare in their final five games will determine whether they’ll sneak into the postseason after such a terrible start to the season.
Playoffs Secured: Minnesota, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix, & New York have punched their ticket to the postseason
Home Court Jockeying: Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, & New York continue battling for the three (3) home court advantage opportunities
Middle Mayhem: Seattle, Golden State, Indiana, & Los Angeles are fighting for the three (3) remaining playoff spots with Los Angeles currently on the outside looking in
There’s Always Next Season: Washington, Dallas, Connecticut, & Chicago have officially been eliminated
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