2023 WNBA second-half season preview

The GIST: From the NY Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu making a historic splash at the 3-point contest to the Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd balling out for her parents’ anniversary gift, WNBA All-Star Weekend more than lived up to the hype.

• Now it’s all eyes on the playoff push, with the second half of the season tipping off tomorrow. No time to waste.

The superteams: As preseason prognosticators predicted, the league is fully in its superteam era — the defending champ Las Vegas Aces and offseason-spending NY Liberty are sitting pretty atop the league at first and second, respectively.

• Plus, we could be in for an early finals preview. Both squads have already booked their Commissioner's Cup tickets and will square off in the in-season tourney’s culminating event on August 15th.

In the hunt: Last year’s Finals runners-up, things haven’t set on the Connecticut Sun, who barely trail the Libs in the east and account for one of Vegas’ just two losses on the season. The Washington Mystics also remain firmly in the mix, but will have to overcome superstar Elena Delle Donne’s recent injury.

• And with the eight playoff spots awarded regardless of conference, don’t sleep on the Atlanta Dream, who have the same record as the Mystics and look poised to return to playoff hoops for the first time since 2018. The fun’s only just begun.