Does the mantra, “Defense wins championships,” apply to the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship?
The historical record is mixed. The 2021 Seattle Storm finished the season as the fifth-best defense. The 2022 Las Vegas Aces were sixth. The 2023 New York Liberty ranked third in defensive rating. The 2025 Minnesota Lynx closed at second overall. And last season’s Indiana Fever settled at seventh in the defensive standings.
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Maybe, above-average-to-very-good defenses win Commissioner’s Cup championships?
Several of the teams that will begin their Cup journeys on Tuesday night, however, hope elite defense is key to a Cup title (and all the extra goods that come with it).
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, in particular, are building their identities on the defensive end of the floor.
The Dream’s Cup quest starts with a home contest against the Connecticut Sun (7:30 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass). The Valkyries also kick off Cup play at home, hosting the Portland Fire (10 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass).
As they are vastly improved defensively, the Chicago Sky’s chances of making a Cup run also begin on that end of the floor. Although, on a four-game skid, any win, Cup or not, is needed for the team from the Windy City. They’re traveling to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Mystics in both teams’ first Cup contest (7:30 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass).
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Tuesday’s fourth Cup game features two teams that, alternatively, hope offense wins the Cup.
The Las Vegas Aces make the second trip to Southern California this season, facing the Los Angeles Sparks for the third time overall (10 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass). So far, the teams have won on the other’s home floor. In their opener, the Sparks sacrificed 105 points to the Aces, the second-worst defensive performance of the season for the WNBA’s worst defense. Then, the Aces allowed the Sparks to pour in 101 points when LA won in Vegas, which was the third-worst defensive effort of the season for the eighth-ranked defense.
So, tune into that showdown for scoring.
Here, let’s take a closer look at how the defensively-driven Dream and Valkyries can begin Cup play with positive performances.
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Can the Dream defense block out Sun?
The Dream have the second-best defense in the league, with a defensive rating of 100.0. The Sun have the worst offense in the league, mustering an offensive rating of 93.4.
Atlanta shouldn’t have a problem locking up Connecticut, right?
The most impactful French player in all of basketball makes the statistical Dream-Sun mismatch more than a bit misleading.
Leïla Lacan is finally on the court for Sun, and she instantly buoyed the formerly-floundering squad that barely survived their five-game West Coast road trip. After a fast start in her season debut, Lacan ended up finishing with a fairly inefficient performance. Still, the team was a positive in her minutes, and they earned a much-needed victory over the visiting Sparks.
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Lacan doesn’t just provided two-way pizzaz; her mere presence on both ends helps all the Sun’s other not-unpromising pieces slot into more appropriate roles.
The Dream have the personnel to contain Lacan, able to deploy Jordin Canada, who gives up about five inches to Lacan but has the speed to stick with her, or Rhyne Howard, whose combination of size, length and quickness can cause quiet offensive nights for some of the WNBA’s best.
The Sun also have capable frontcourt talent that present different defensive challenges, beginning with Brittney Griner, who can still put together stretches of efficient post finishing at 6-foot-9. After returning from her rib injury, Griner, who surpassed 6,000 career points in the win over the Sparks, exited the game when she took a shot to the face. She’s not listed on the injury report, suggesting she’ll be in action for her first game back in the ATL.
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Atlanta can also expect to see a lot of Aneesah Morrow, who brings incessant effort around the glass as she also experiments with extending her shooting range.
With her Defensive Player of the Year aspirations, Angel Reese should make things difficult for all the options on the Sun. The matchup with Morrow, her college teammate for one season at LSU, profiles as the most fun.
What are your thoughts? Do you expect the Dream to easily slow down the Sun, even with Lacan back? Or, might Connecticut cause a little too much trouble for comfort for Atlanta?
Can the Valkyries defense put out the Fire?
The danger posed by the Fire is less sneakier than that of the Sun, even if their ninth-ranked offense suggests otherwise.
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On the nights the Fire’s offense works, it works.
The quick decision making drilled by head coach Alex Sarama comes to life, as the ball pings around, players with favorable matchups are encouraged to attack and the team succeeds at cashing in on 3-pointers and layups. But on other nights, the Fire can’t quiet find their flow, struggling with the kind of disorganization expected of an expansion team lacking high-profile offensive players. When Portland loses, they lose, as all their defeats have come by at least 15 points.
The Valkyries are well equipped to induce one of those off nights from the Fire.
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The Golden State defense lacks exploitable cracks and crevices. They allow the fewest points in the paint in the league, limit second-chance points and are committed to preventing opponents’ transition opportunities.
The team’s prioritization of and pride in defensive is captained by Veronica Burton and Gabby Williams, both of whom were All-Defensive honorees last season. The two not only can mark primary offensive options and make their lives difficult, but also generate steals and deflections. It’s going to be hard for Bridget Carleton, Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee Barker to get loose.
A lack of size outside of the ever-solid Kiah Stokes is Golden State’s only weakness, and one that bit them in their loss to the Aces on Sunday; Portland, however, likewise trends undersized.
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It would be pretty surprising if Portland can put together a good offensive outing in San Francisco.
Do you agree? Are the Valkyries going to put out the Fire without a problem? Or, can Portland stoke up a high score in Ballhalla?
