Now The Race Really Begins

The belief by many who follow the WNBA was the Eastern Conference playoff race would lack suspense this season. While the top four teams might be capable of battling each other for seeding, there was little doubt as to which clubs would advance to the postseason.
That notion held true as the conference’s final playoff spots were secured with Sunday’s results. Connecticut, Detroit, Indiana and Washington are in, and out are suddenly competitive Charlotte, suddenly surging New York and expansion Chicago.
What we do know of the top four is the Sun can finish no worse than third and could clinch at least the No. 2 seed by week’s end. Additionally, with the East’s top seed once considered a three-team race, the Fever now find the Mystics in position to possibly jump ahead to the third spot, thus avoiding the conference winner.
One interesting scenario that could come up is teams with lower playoff position out East may get to rest their players more than at the top. The second two are starting to separate a bit from the top two, and if that trend continues, they will have less at stake during the final games. While Connecticut and Detroit could go down to the final day for the top spot, Indiana and Washington could be sitting back with rested players and awaiting whichever team becomes a first-round opponent.