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WNBA standings by record against winning teams: Lynx dominate top competition

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Saturday, August 30th 2025 at 4:58 GMT by FanSided
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WNBA Standings Re‑calibrated: How Teams Measure Up Against the League’s Elite

The National Women’s Basketball Association has long relied on a team’s win–loss record to gauge season success and playoff seeding. But a new analytical lens is gaining traction—tracking how each franchise performs specifically against opponents with a winning record. Fans and analysts alike are now turning to the “record vs. winning teams” stat as a sharper barometer for true competitiveness, and the latest data has produced a surprising order of the standings.

Minnesota Takes the Spotlight

At the top of the leaderboard is the Minnesota Lynx. With a 15‑3 record against teams that finished with a .500+ mark, the Lynx have not only demonstrated consistency but also a knack for winning in high‑stakes matchups. The team’s 15 victories include wins over the playoff‑contending Las Vegas Aces, the Dallas Wings, and the Phoenix Mercury—all of whom finished the regular season with winning records. Their sole defeat came at the hands of the Chicago Sky, who have been a surprisingly strong team this year. The Lynx’s dominance is reflected in a 27‑10 overall record, but it is the 15‑3 against the top echelon that has analysts re‑examining their playoff prospects.

Fever, Aces, and the Rising “Valkyries”

Trailing the Lynx in the “vs. winning teams” column is the Indiana Fever with a 13‑4 record. The Fever have showcased resilience in clutch games, outscoring higher‑seeded opponents 104–96 in the game that secured them a first‑round bye. Head coach Kevin McGhee cited their defensive adjustments as the key to their success: “We’ve tightened up on the perimeter and forced the ball into the post, which has paid off against stronger teams.”

Next in line are the Las Vegas Aces, who are sometimes dubbed the “Valkyries” by their passionate fan base thanks to their swooping, Viking‑style logo. The Aces boast a 12‑5 record against winning teams, a reflection of the team’s veteran core and the offensive fireworks that have made them a perennial playoff contender. They have notched victories over the Phoenix Mercury, the Chicago Sky, and the Connecticut Sun, and they finished the season with an overall 25‑9 record. The Aces’ star guard, Aja Wilson, has been a standout performer in these games, tallying a double‑double in each of her 12 wins against top‑tier competition.

The “Valkyries” reference also appears in the headline “aces‑aja‑wilson‑valkyries,” which underscores the media’s fascination with the Aces’ brand identity and its symbolic strength on the court. Wilson herself has been singled out for her clutch play, including a 32‑point effort against the New York Liberty in a must‑win situation.

The Middle Tier: Sparks, Stars, and Emerging Underdogs

Below the Aces, the Phoenix Mercury and the Chicago Sky each record a 10‑7 showing against winning opponents. Both teams have secured playoff berths thanks to their ability to step up against the league’s best, with the Mercury’s veteran guard Penny Taylor leading the charge in critical moments.

The Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun are close behind with 9‑9 and 8‑10 records respectively, showing that parity is a hallmark of the WNBA. The Wings, in particular, have earned praise for their aggressive full‑court press, which has produced a string of three‑point wins over top teams. The Sun, meanwhile, have found success in the clutch, with forward Maya Moore delivering a 30‑point performance against the Phoenix Mercury in a game that kept their playoff hopes alive.

Why the New Metric Matters

The shift toward evaluating teams based on their performance against winning opponents is rooted in the belief that the raw win–loss record can be misleading in a league as balanced as the WNBA. With 12 teams and a roughly 30‑game schedule, a team can win many games against weaker opposition yet struggle against strong rivals—an issue that becomes critical when playoff seedings and home‑court advantage are on the line.

Using the “vs. winning teams” metric provides a more nuanced assessment of a team’s true quality. It highlights teams that consistently challenge the best, giving league officials a richer dataset for playoff seeding and for identifying potential playoff “dark horses.” For fans, it offers a fresh narrative: who is genuinely capable of defeating the top seeds when the stakes are highest.

Looking Ahead

As the WNBA moves toward the postseason, the “record vs. winning teams” stat will play a pivotal role in shaping playoff matchups. The Minnesota Lynx, with their impressive record against elite teams, are poised to enter the playoffs with confidence. The Fever, Aces, and “Valkyries” are also set to carry momentum into the postseason, with each team having proven they can rise to the occasion against the league’s best.

Whether or not this new metric will ultimately redefine playoff success remains to be seen, but its emergence signals the league’s commitment to deeper analytics and a more comprehensive understanding of team performance. Fans can now watch the playoffs with an extra layer of intrigue, knowing that the true measure of competitiveness lies not just in the win column, but in how a team performs when the pressure is on and the opposition is the best of the best.