A preview of select WNBA games to watch between July 3 and July 8.

Disclaimer: All stats are courtesy of the official WNBA site. Opinions are solely those of the author. Get WNBA League Pass for only $16.99 for the entire season. Don’t @ me.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Chicago Sky at Dallas Wings

8:00 pm ET

League Pass, FSSW+ (local)

At first glance, watching two sub-.500 teams play each other may not be appealing, but these aren’t just any sub-.500 teams. Chicago (6-10) is a talented and gritty team who just lost an overtime nail-biter to the New York Liberty on Sunday night. Dallas (7-8) recently dropped a close contest against the Minnesota Lynx. This is their first meeting this season and both the Sky and the Wings are very physical teams, so things could escalate very quickly. I suggest having a nice, big bowl of popcorn on hand.

Connecticut Sun at Los Angeles Sparks

10:30 pm ET

League Pass, SPECSN (local), WCCT (local)

It’s always good to see the Ogwumike sisters (Chiney for Connecticut, Nneka for Los Angeles) battle it out. The Sun (9-7) are smarting from a recent loss to the Seattle Storm; they can’t seem to get any traction for a win streak while Alyssa Thomas on the bench due to injury. The Sparks (12-5) bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a spanking of the Las Vegas Aces. Both teams haven't met since May 24, when the Sun won 101-94, and both teams need a win. Desperation is a lovely fuel.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Los Angeles Sparks at Minnesota Lynx

8:00 pm ET

ESPN2

Though the Sparks have dropped a bit in the league’s team rankings, they still remain one of the top teams in the league. Whenever two top teams play each other, you can’t go wrong in watching. The Minnesota Lynx (11-6), who are the defending national champions, just won their seventh straight game on Sunday against the Dallas Wings. The Sparks are looking to climb back into the top of the rankings, thanks to the return of Nneka Ogwumika in the starting lineup and the continued hot hands of Chelsea Gray and Essence Carson, especially from 3-point range. The last time these teams met in early June, the Sparks won 77-69. A battle between 2008 & 2013 MVP Candace Parke (Sparks), 2016 MVP Ogwumike, and 2017 MVP Sylvia Fowles (Lynx) is always a treat. Gitchu a piece.

Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces

10:30 pm ET

League Pass, ATTSN-RM (local), The U Too (local)

Three of the top four 2018 draft picks (A’Ja Wilson for the Aces; Diamond DeShields and Gabby Williams for the Sky) on the floor at the same time, plus two of the top five 2018 second-round picks (Jamie Nared and Ji-Su Park for the Aces)...yes, please! The Sky beat the Aces when these teams met a month ago, and Las Vegas (6-12) is still searching from performance consistency from its roster. Plus, we all know the love/hate relationship the Aces have with three-point shooting, whereas Chicago has Allie Quigley...and Courtney Vandersloot...and Gabby Williams...and Jamierra Faulkner. Bless.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Seattle Storm at Atlanta Dream

7:00 pm ET

League Pass, FSSE-ATL (local)

How about an appetizer before you watch Belgium take on Mexico in the 2018 World Cup (if you’re into that -- which I am)? The last time these teams met in June, the Dream pulled off a surprising upset on Seattle’s home court. The Storm will look to correct that matter. I hope there is more hair pulling (I’m still laughing about that). Look for Atlanta’s Brittney Sykes to be a factor (6th Woman of the Year candidate, IMHO); she recently hung 20 points on the Indiana Fever last week.

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Los Angeles Sparks at Washington Mystics

7:00 pm ET

League Pass, SPECSN (local), Monumental (local)

The Mystics have been cruising ever since Latoya Sanders and Taylor Hill returned to the lineup. The Sparks are still dominant. More MVPs: Elena Delle Donne (Mystics), Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker (Sparks). The last meetup between these teams resulted in a Los Angeles win; the improved Mystics are looking to settle that score.

Connecticut Sun at Las Vegas Aces

10:30 pm ET

League Pass, ATTSN-RM (local), WCCT (local)

The last times these teams met was back in May, and Connecticut gave Las Vegas a 101-65 shellacking. The Aces have grown a lot since then and notched some quality wins over the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks in the process, while the Sun has cooled off; this game may be more equal than the stat sheets let on. But, but, but...three-point shooting may be a deciding factor; Connecticut has sharpshooters in Shekinna Stricklen and Jonquel Jones (and they both have been hot lately) while the Aces seem to have both a slight aversion to the three (thanks, head coach Bill “Defense” Laimbeer) and a lack of shooters (the responsibility primarily falls to Kayla McBride but Kelsey Plum has gotten a few off and Dearica Hamby is a solid second option...when she has the confidence to shoot the three). Expect Connecticut, like other teams, to get very physical with A’Ja Wilson and/or try to get her into early foul trouble.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Dallas Wings at New York Liberty

3:00 pm ET

League Pass, MSG (local)

Watching Skylar Diggins-Smith (Wings) and Tina Charles (Liberty) will their teams to victory never gets old. They are both so tenacious and so passionate, it’s hard to root against either. These teams last met May 29 in Dallas and New York won, 94-89, to christen the Wings' new playing venue. This will probably be another physical game with a lot of big bodies (Kayla Thornton, Glory Johnson, and Liz Cambage for Dallas; Charles, Amanda Zahui B, and Kia Vaughn for New York) throwing themselves at each other. More top-ten 2018 draft picks in Kia Nurse (New York) and Azurá Stevens (Dallas), who have both been performing well this season. This will be a good game.

Washington Mystics at Seattle Storm

7:00 pm ET

League Pass, Joe TV (local), Monumental (local)

The Elena Delle Donnes versus the Sue Birds; two quality teams duking it out in the Emerald City. The last time the Mystics visited the Storm they lost, 77-81. Expect circus shots galore, as each team has great shooters: Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver, Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud for the Mystics; Bird, Jewell Loyd, Alysha Clark, Breanna Stewart, and Jordin Canada for the Storm. Krystal Thomas may be no match for Seattle’s Natasha Howard, but it will be fun to watch.

Thanks for stopping by.