The 2025 season has been a big step down compared to recent seasons for the Aces. Between 2021 and 2024, the Aces never finished the regular season outside the top four in the standings. Most of those years, they were the uncontested favorites to win it all. Now, they have the seventh-best record and may even struggle to secure a playoff spot if they do not figure out how to string together some wins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Sparks, who nabbed Kelsey Plum from the Aces<\/a> in a massive three-team trade in the offseason, have been thriving lately. With a 101-99 win over the New York Liberty, the Sparks have officially entered the playoff race.\u00a0<\/p>\n The additional playoff competition could spell disaster for the Aces. Not making the playoffs is the worst-case scenario for the Aces. A team featuring A\u2019ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Jewell Loyd should not miss the postseason, especially not if it doesn\u2019t own its first-round pick in the upcoming draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n The playoff race is very close<\/p>\n Halfway through the season, the top five in the standings seem to have been largely decided already. The Lynx, Liberty, Mercury, Dream, and Storm will likely occupy those spots in some order. The rest of the playoff standings are still wide open. The Fever, Mystics, Aces, Valkyries, and Sparks are all very close to each other and all have a reasonable chance to punch a ticket to the playoffs.<\/p>\n The Aces are not in the greatest position to win such a close race. They already lost the season series to the Indiana Fever<\/a>. Las Vegas is also 1-1 against the Sparks and Valkyries with two games left against each team, and 1-2 against the Mystics with one game left.\u00a0<\/p>\n