WNBA Groupings right now are:
1. Minnesota (17-2)
Gap
2-5 (Phoenix, NY, Atlanta, Seattle) all winning teams within a game a of each other
Gap
6-9 (Indiana, Washington, Vegas, Golden State), all .500 teams within half a game of each other
Gap
10-12 (Dallas, Chicago, LA), all have losing records within a game of each other
Gap
13. Connectictut (2-16)
Early predictions for the 2nd half of the year:
1. Minnesota comes down to earth a bit but stays as the clear cut #1 team all season. They look like they're on a mission.
2. If anyone drops from the 2-5 group, it's Atlanta. Phoenix is also somewhat of a wild card. They seem to have a good thing going, and I'm not sure adding in Bonner midseason actually helps them much. They're also working Kahleah Copper into the lineup which could make them lethal, but additionally it could also affect team chemistry. NY should elevate themselves as the clear #2 team in the league but they just don't seem as dialed in this season.
3. If anyone climbs up to the 2-5 group, it's Indiana (assuming they get Clark back). They've been so inconsistent this season though. I don't really see Vegas course correcting in a major way, I think Golden State is at their peak right now and I think Washington tails off as the season unfolds.
4. I could see Dallas moving into the playoff picture as they're starting to figure things out. They're 5-5 in their last 10 and their trio of rookies are playing incredibly well. I could also see Golden State and Washington faltering a bit and fall out of the playoff picture as the season unfolds. No shade to either team but I think talent wise they're not as strong as the top 6-7 teams. I never would've expected Golden State to be 9-9 at this juncture, so I'm not counting them out.
5. Connecticut is trending toward being one of the worst teams in league history. I think they'll pull it together to win 6+ games but their last 5 they've lost by 24, 26, 16, 39 and 18. Getting Mabrey back in the next couple of weeks is a big boost for them but they're kind of screwed looking ahead. They traded away their 2026 lottery pick and haven't been able to attract any top WNBA players in free agency. I'm not sure how they'll be able to attract anyone next offseason either.