WNBA Notebook: Four teams fighting for final three playoff spots

The WNBA playoffs start in less than two weeks, but the final seeding hasn't been determined just yet as four teams are still fighting for the final three playoff spots.

The Atlanta Dream (17-20), Washington Mystics (17-20), Los Angeles Sparks (16-21) and Chicago Sky (15-22) all remain in contention for the playoffs with three games to go each.

At the top of the standings, the New York Liberty are on a six-game win streak while the Las Vegas Aces have now extended their record for most wins in a season to 32.

Here's a look at the biggest storylines in the WNBA as the post-season approaches.

With all eyes always on the Liberty and Aces, a team that gets overlooked often is the 25-win Sun, who have the longest active playoff streak after clinching a spot for the seventh season in a row.

Of the teams with the 10 longest playoff streaks in WNBA history, the Sun are the only club without a WNBA title, but they are looking to change that. The Sun have appeared in at least the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs each of the last four years, including two Finals appearances, but have struggled against the title favourites from Las Vegas and New York this season. The Sun have yet to record a win in four meetings with the Liberty, including on Friday, when New York won 89-58. In three meetings with the Aces, the Sun have managed to win just once.

The Sun have gone 4-4 in their last eight games, but the rest of the schedule doesn't matter too much as they will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed no matter how the three remaining games play out. Those results still can impact the Sparks' and Sky's playoff hopes, however.

The Minnesota Lynx have had an up-and-down season, including a rough beginning that saw them lose seven of their first eight games. But the team turned their season around thanks heavily to the work of Napheesa Collier and Diamond Miller, and now have the post-season to look forward to.

How they got there, beating an already eliminated Phoenix squad 86-73, wasn't exactly easy. The Mercury kept the game close in the first half, before the Lynx outscored Phoenix 28-13 and secured a safe double-digit win.

Kayla McBride, another workhorse for the Lynx this season, led the team with 23 points, but the all-around play of Collier that has been seen all season was apparent as she added 22 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

The win, the 300th in the WNBA for head coach Cheryl Reeve, signified the work that the team continued to put in while dealing with Miller's injury and other roadblocks.

One of the teams that has yet to confirm a spot in the post-season is the Los Angeles Sparks, who suffered frustrating losses against Connecticut, Chicago and Seattle — the latter two at home — before defeating Washington despite not having Nneka Ogwumike.

Before suffering those three straight losses, the Sparks were on a six-game winning streak and had beaten Las Vegas as well as taken down Atlanta twice with Ogwumike, Jordin Canada and Layshia Clarendon leading the way.

With the Sky just one game back and also owning the season tie-breaker over the Sparks, the status of Ogwumike will be crucial down the stretch. The Sparks close the season on a three-game road trip against the Sun, Liberty and Storm.

The Sparks have yet to beat the Liberty or Sun this season, and have gone 1-2 against the Storm. But with a post-season spot on the line, big performances from players like Canada will be expected.

Just when things seemed like they couldn't get worse for the Washington Mystics, guard Kristi Toliver injured her right knee against the Sparks and was taken for an MRI.

The injury marked the 28th of the season for the Mystics, the highest in the league. Players who have missed time include Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins and Shakira Austin, all difference makers on the floor for Washington.

Toliver has only played in only 11 games this season, missing two for rest and 24 with plantar fasciitis in her right foot. She only returned from injury on Aug. 29 to play four minutes against the Minnesota Lynx and had played just 10 minutes total since returning from rehabbing her foot before injuring her knee.

The Mystics next face off against Phoenix, who they have a 2-1 record against this season, followed by Atlanta who have lost four of their last five games, before ending their season on the road against New York. The Mystics managed to get a win over the Liberty to open their season, and will work for another to keep their season alive.