We’ve reached June, which means the start of the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup is officially here. We’ll preview five games to circle, but not before touching on some of the best matchups and top individual performances of last week, as well as a couple of teams who are trending in opposite directions.
Here we go.
SCHEDULE: Check out the full WNBA on NBC, Peacock slate of games
▶ LIBERTY TURNING A CORNER
On the heels of a third straight home loss, the Liberty trailed the Mercury by six points about midway through the third quarter of Wednesday’s matchup, staring a fourth consecutive loss in the eyes. But then, Jonquel Jones sank a three-pointer, followed by one from Marinne Johannes, and five more unanswered points from Jones to ignite the Barclays Center crowd and an 11-0 Liberty run. Jones kept scoring, and Breanna Stewart eventually chipped in before Pauline Astier’s back-to-back finishes at the rim sent New York into the fourth quarter on a historic 23-0 run, ultimately a deficit too large for Phoenix to overcome.
What impressed about the run was how little it depended on scoring help from Stewart, while getting literally no contributions from Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu, two injured players who will factor heavily into how far the Liberty go this season. Instead, the group that was mostly responsible for digging the hole in previous games is largely the one that lifted the team out of it. New York went on to beat Phoenix again a couple of days later, and now finds itself back over .500. While consecutive wins over a currently underwhelming Mercury team may not be the most celebratory feat, positive momentum is never a bad thing, especially for a team still trying to get healthy and round into form.
▶ MERCURY SLOW OUT THE GATE
More on the Mercury’s rough start. Their 2-7 record is likely not one they’d hoped for about seven months removed from a WNBA Finals appearance, but it’s hard to say exactly why their start has gone the way it has — Alyssa Thomas has remained great, and the team offense hasn’t changed much from a season ago. Something that has stood out, however, is the subpar three-point defense. Phoenix has only outproduced its opponent from deep in one of its seven losses, while allowing double-digit three-point makes in five of those games. Taking it a step further, the Mercury is losing the three-point battle 83 to 52 in those seven defeats; good for a 93-point difference from beyond the arc. They’re the only team in the W that’s surrendering at least 10 threes on average, and their 38.4 percent allowed leads the league. While there are likely several other reasons contributing to the slow start, correcting the three-point problem would be beneficial.
▶ NOTABLE STAT LINES
Before we get into this week’s games, I figured it would be fun to look back at a couple of last week’s games I tabbed as the most anticipated of the week. We already touched on Liberty-Mercury Pt. 1 and the epic 23-0 run that changed the game, so we’ll shift our focus to Aces-Wings and Fever-Valkyries.
Aces-Wings
In short: the Aces let a double-digit lead slip away, as Azzi Fudd tallied a second straight 20-point game, and the Wings’ other former No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers, also hit the 20-point mark in the win. A’ja Wilson was the only player on Las Vegas to eclipse the 20-point mark, but did so below her standard shooting efficiency. But neither of those three aforementioned players came close to logging the type of production as Jessica Shepard — she was sensational.
Shepard, sharing a floor with five former No. 1 picks and the four-time MVP, Wilson, was by far and away the best and most productive player during that night. She walked away with her second triple-double of the season and the first 22-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in WNBA history. She’s been one of Dallas’ most consistent players thus far after signing with the team during the most recent free agency period, and her five straight double-doubles add to the season-long productivity that has made her one of the most impactful players in the W so far, according to metrics from Herhoopstats.com.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces smiles in the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center on May 31, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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Fever-Valkyries
I had a great feeling about this matchup, so much so that I predicted it would be the game of the week in last week’s column (it seems I may have been right). The rematch from the week prior’s thrilling matchup over in Indianapolis was arguably even better. And like the game above, the player of the game wasn’t a former first-overall pick. Instead, it was Golden State’s Veronica Burton, whose 25/6/3/1/5 line doesn’t even fully paint the picture of her two-way dominance in the Valkyries’ 90-88 victory. She made big plays on the offensive end down the stretch and, as reflected in her six stocks, made her presence known throughout the win on the defensive end. Burton has performed exceptionally after winning the WNBA’s 2025 Most Improved Player award. Now, she’s leading Golden State from a fun first-year story to a team that could legitimately make noise during the postseason in Year 2 of the organization’s existence.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Connecticut Sun @ Atlanta Dream
(Tuesday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET on WNBA League Pass)
The Sun played well throughout their win last week over the Sparks, which marked just the second so far for a Connecticut team in its farewell season before exiting to Houston. Can they do something early in this season that they only did once last season, which is win back-to-back games? Connecticut has a 2-1 record in one-score games this season, so its best bet is to keep this one close throughout. Atlanta is also 2-1 in games decided by three or fewer points, but has a few more decisive wins on its resume that have led it to be one of the WNBA’s best teams to this point. The Dream will bring the defense, and the Sun will have to figure out how to operate on the offensive end. And what type of impact will Brittney Griner have in her return to Atlanta?
Golden State Valkyries @ Minnesota Lynx
(Thursday, June 4 at 9 p.m. ET on Prime Video)
Calling my shot again: GAME OF THE WEEK. Aside from the teams having some of the best records in the league at the time of this writing, several similarities between them should make for a great matchup. They rank toward the top of the league regarding limiting opponents’ points per game, have two of the W’s top defensive ratings, and, from purely self-observation, play with incredible grit from top to bottom. But their differences are what make this matchup even more intriguing — Golden State’s offense thrives from three-point production, while Minnesota wants to win inside with second-chance points and points in the paint (things the Valkyries do well to prevent). I’m expecting as much of a chess match as you can get for an early-season game. It should be a thriller.
Dallas Wings @ Los Angeles Sparks
(Friday, June 5 at 10 p.m. ET on ION)
The Sparks and Wings met four times last year, and the Sparks won each matchup. Double figures decided two, and two by a single point. But what I remember most about those contests is the show that Paige Bueckers put on in Los Angeles on August 20, scoring 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting from the field as a rookie. It is unlikely that we will receive that sort of masterful performance from any player who takes the floor, although not impossible. But what I’m looking forward to this time around is the high-octane offenses these two teams possess when clicking. For the Sparks, a lot will bank on Kelsey Plum’s availability and, if healthy, whether or not she can pick up where she left off before injuring her ankle. And the Wings have the league’s best offensive rating. Expect fireworks!
Indiana Fever @ New York Liberty
(Saturday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+)
New York will get an opportunity earlier in the week to extend its win streak to three games when traveling up north to Canada to face the Tempo, but arguably the bigger examination of the team’s recent play may come on national television under the Barclays Center lights when facing Caitlin Clark and the Fever on Saturday. The two have produced entertaining matchups in the past, and if either team is looking to really reset its direction after an up-and-down first few weeks of the season, this could be a spot to do so. Indiana will have returned home from an unsuccessful two-game road trip out West, looking to snap its losing skid on Thursday against the Dream, potentially. Whether the Fever limps into Saturday’s primetime spot or not, it’s hard to envision something other than a spirited and hard-fought game between the two teams.
Chicago Sky @ Toronto Tempo
(Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET on WNBA League Pass)
It’ll be a busy week for the Sky, who will have traveled to Washington D.C. for a matchup with the Mystics on Tuesday, then back home to Chicago to host the Sun on Friday before making the trip to Toronto for this Sunday afternoon tip against the Tempo. I say all this to say that Chicago will have ample opportunities throughout this upcoming week to get back on track by ending its current four-game skid. But Sunday’s bout may be the toughest of the week, as the Sky gear up to face one of the top offenses in the league — one with proven scorers and shotmakers in the starting backcourt in Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes. Toronto’s also gotten good, consistent production from rookie Kiki Rice, giving this Sky-Tempo matchup another reason to tune in for.
