ELENA DELLE DONNE

The WNBA enters the final week of the regular season with many playoff positions still to be decided as well as the final postseason berth.

The WNBA playoff chase may come down to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19.

We’re going to take it one at a time and Washington is next and that’s all we’re thinking about.”The Mystics are one of four teams battling for the final playoff spots. She had to skip the team's last game — a 18-point rally against Dallas — because the back issues flared up again. Washington, New York, Dallas and Los Angeles are all within a game of each other for the final two playoff spots. Brittney Griner sprained her ankle in one of the victories over New York in the game's final 70 seconds. These teams play a home and home set that may go a long way to determining playoff positioning for both squads.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh)NEW YORK — (AP) — Elena Delle Donne and Chiney Ogwumike will have a major impact on the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks playoff chances now that they're back on the basketball court. Delle Donne missed nearly two years with a back injury and COVID-19 precautions. The Washington Mystics star played in her first game in 682 days this past Sunday. It’s been quite a whirlwind,” said Delle Donne, who scored 16 points in her return. Washington (8-14): While the Mystics welcomed Delle Donne back, the team will be missing Olympic gold-medalist Tina Charles because of a strained left gluteal.

Elena Delle Donne and Chiney Ogwumike will have a major impact on the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks playoff chances now that they're back on the basketball court.

Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will try and become the first five-time Olympic gold medalists in women’s basketball as they lead the U.S. team during the Tokyo Games.

Storm Fever Basketball Seattle Storm's Sue Bird drives as Indiana Fever's Jantel Lavender defends during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Indianapolis. The four-time Olympic gold medalist is expected to return to the Phoenix Mercury lineup in a few weeks and should be ready to go for training camp in Las Vegas in July. The former WNBA MVP and 2016 Olympic medalist hasn’t even practiced yet with the Washington Mystics this season. It would be highly unlikely for Delle Donne to be on the roster if she doesn't return with the Mystics before the Olympic break. Nneka Ogwumike played on the 2018 World Cup team as well and is a strong candidate for her first Olympics.

The U.S. women’s basketball team has a few questions surrounding its roster as the Americans to make a run at a seventh consecutive gold medal in the Olympics.

NEW YORK — (AP) — The Las Vegas Aces fell just short of the WNBA championship last season while missing three key players. Now with Liz Cambage, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby back as well as free agent addition Chelsea Gray to help league MVP A'ja Wilson, the Aces sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll Wednesday. “We grew up last year, we added other pieces," Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said. Seattle, the defending WNBA champions, garnered the other four first-place ballots and was picked second. Seattle star Breanna Stewart was picked as the AP preseason player of the year for the second straight season.

NEW YORK The Seattle Storm are healthy to begin the season with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird back in the lineup and sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll. 1 in the preseason since the AP has been doing the poll. You have to go out there and play the games, said Bird, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery. Connecticut and Washington, who met for the WNBA title last year, were sixth and seventh in the poll. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, July 28___Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

NEW YORK Elena Delle Donne is hurt that her request was denied to be medically excused for the season. And maybe being hurt just makes me naive, Delle Donne wrote. Had Delle Donne been medically excused, she would have earned her entire salary for the season. Charles and Delle Donne did not travel with the team to Bradenton, Florida. Phoenix forward Jessica Breland, who missed a year while at North Carolina to be treated for Hodgkins lymphoma, was deemed high-risk and was medically excused, the Mercury said.

NEW YORK Elena Delle Donne's request to be medically excused from the WNBA season was denied, according to the league's reigning MVP. Delle Donne has battled Lyme disease since 2008. But the question is whether or not the WNBA bubble is safe for me," Delle Donne said in the statement. Charles and Delle Donne did not travel with the team to Bradenton, Florida, last week. Phoenix forward Jessica Breland, who missed a year while at North Carolina to be treated for Hodgkins lymphoma, was deemed high-risk and was medically excused, the Mercury said.

The Washington Mystics won their first WNBA championship, getting 22 points from Emma Meesseman and 21 from banged-up league MVP Elena Delle Donne to beat the Connecticut Sun 89-78 in Game 5 of the Finals on Thursday night. It was a fitting conclusion to an entertaining series and WNBA season. Elena Delle Donne #11 of Washington Mystics celebrates after the Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun to win the 2019 WNBA Finals at St Elizabeths East Entertainment & Sports Arena on October 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. Delle Donne came to Washington three years ago in a trade from Chicago, hoping to get the Mystics their first title. The victory gave coach Mike Thibault his first WNBA championship.