What was on pace to become the preeminent WNBA rivalry appeared to be put on pause.
On Saturday night, we might find out that it is, in fact, back on. Undefeated Commissioner’s Cup combatants meet in Sin City, with the Las Vegas Aces hosting the Minnesota Lynx.
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The 4-0 Lynx sit atop the Western Conference Cup table with an overwhelming +81 point differential, a mark of dominance that makes the second-place Aces’ +41 point differential seem modest. Yet, if the Aces can protect homecourt and snap the Lynx’s eight-game winning streak, they’ll claim the Cup lead.
It’s a battle befitting for the primetime stage, as the action will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and one that could cause the bad blood between these two teams to again begin to burble.
Last season, the Lynx (in)famously obliterated the Aces in Vegas in a 53-point win that became the largest road victory in WNBA history. Of course, the beatdown did not bury the Aces; it, instead, brought them back to life. Vegas would not lose again in the 2025 regular season, finishing off the season on a 16-game run that would fuel their eventual sprint to the 2025 WNBA title.
Along the way, they secured a revenge win against the Lynx, with A’ja Wilson’s 31-point performance on 80 percent shooting not only powering Vegas to the 10-point win, but also sealing her fourth M’VP over Napheesa Collier, who had a quiet 12 points on less than 40 percent shooting.
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For much of the season, Collier was favored to steal the crown from Wilson. But that fateful game in Vegas proved to be a turning point. Collier suffered an ankle sprain late in the third quarter, an injury that can be interpreted as a cruel twist of fate or karmic retribution for suspected stat padding, depending on your allegiances. The injury sidelined Collier, and ultimately shelved her seemingly fated MVP triumph.
The Lynx, in contrast to the Aces, then experienced a disastrous playoffs, eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals as Collier suffered an injury to her other ankle. Those injured ankles eventually required offseason surgeries that have delayed Collier’s 2026 season debut.
With Collier absent, Minnesota was expected to flounder in the middle of the standings, presenting no real threat to Vegas and their title defense.
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Thus, a rivalry simmering with spice had seemingly cooled. This season, there would be no need for head coaches Cheryl Reeve and Becky Hammon to trade barbs in postgame pressers, touting their team and their star while shading the other.
And yet, here we are. The Phee-less Lynx are leading the league, as the Aces, once again driven by heroic efforts from A’ja, are on their heels.
On Saturday, will the Lynx and their systems and schemes, albeit enhanced in new ways by ascendant rookie point guard Olivia Miles, prove superior? Or will the Aces remind that stars, particularly T’HE star, are what distinguish great teams from very good ones?
Even without the Commissioner’s Cup implications, this might be the most consequential contest of the season so far. What do you think? Post your predictions in the comments.
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Checking in on the Cup consequences of Fever-Sun, Wings-Fire and Sparks-Mercury
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Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN): The Sun are eliminated from the Cup. With a win, the Fever remain alive with just one Cup loss. However, as that loss came to the East-leading New York Liberty, they need two Liberty losses to jump into the East lead. Considering the Liberty’s final two Cup games are against the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky, Fever fans shouldn’t start planning for a return to the Cup final.
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Dallas Wings vs. Portland Fire (8:30 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass): Out of Cup contention, the Fire would at least like to get the franchise’s first Cup win. The 3-1 Wings will be motivated to prevent it. Winning, and winning big, keeps them in the Western Conference Cup hunt. They’ll also be rooting for Aces, before then preparing to beat them next week and force a three-way tie at the top of the West table.
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Los Angeles Sparks vs. Phoenix Mercury (10 p.m. ET, WNBA League Pass): Technically, these teams can tells themselves that still have a chance in the Cup chase. However, barring some absurd, outlier outcomes, it’s almost impossible that either the 2-3 Sparks or, especially, the 2-3 Mercury become the West’s Cup representative.
