The Sept. 18 basketball slate moved quickly and left little ambiguity at the top end: several road teams arrived with pace, pressure and finishing power, turning competitive matchups into clear statements.
Across seven games in All Leagues action, the NBA W dominated the schedule with six contests, while the SLB delivered the tightest finish of the day. Las Vegas, Washington, Indiana and New York all won on the road, Phoenix escaped Portland, Dallas handled Los Angeles at home, and London edged Bristol in a two-point result.
NBA W: Aces overwhelm Storm in Seattle
Las Vegas produced the most lopsided result of the day, beating Seattle 114-77 on the road. The 37-point margin stood out not just for its size, but for where it happened: away from home against a Storm team unable to slow the Aces’ offensive rhythm.
In a slate filled with high-scoring performances, Las Vegas set the tone. Reaching 114 points on the road reflects a game played on the Aces’ terms, with Seattle forced into a chase it could not sustain.
Mystics pour in 110 in road rout of Sky
Washington also delivered a major road result, defeating Chicago 110-80. The Mystics crossed the 100-point mark and built a 30-point margin, turning the matchup into one of the clearest wins of the night.
For Chicago, the issue was containment. Washington’s scoring total left little room for a grind-it-out response, and the Sky were pushed into a game script that demanded consistent shot-making just to stay attached.
Fever surge past Tempo
Indiana added another road win to the NBA W slate, beating Toronto 103-85. The Fever’s 18-point victory gave the night another high-end offensive showing and continued the broader theme of visiting teams dictating terms.
Toronto reached 85 points, but Indiana’s ability to get to 103 created separation. In a game where both teams found offense, the Fever’s ceiling proved significantly higher.
Liberty take care of Lynx in Minnesota
New York defeated Minnesota 93-81, earning a 12-point road win. The Liberty did not need the explosive totals seen elsewhere on the slate; they created enough distance and protected it through the final margin.
The result fit the profile of a controlled road performance. New York kept Minnesota below the 90-point threshold while generating enough offense to avoid a possession-by-possession finish.
Mercury survive Portland in night’s tightest NBA W finish
Phoenix beat Portland 94-91 in the closest NBA W game of the day. In contrast to the blowouts elsewhere, this one stayed within a single possession by the final horn.
The Mercury’s three-point road win carried a different kind of value. On a night when several teams won with overwhelming margins, Phoenix had to close under pressure and leave with a narrow result.
Wings handle Sparks in Dallas
Dallas delivered the lone NBA W home win of the slate, beating Los Angeles 97-77. The Wings’ 20-point margin gave them a clean result in a game they controlled by the final scoreline.
Los Angeles was held to 77 points, matching Seattle for the lowest total among NBA W teams on the day. Dallas did enough offensively to create a comfortable gap and avoid the late-game tension seen in Portland.
SLB: London edges Bristol by two
In the lone SLB matchup, London defeated Bristol 80-78. It was the tightest game across the full seven-game schedule and the only contest decided by two points.
While the NBA W slate featured several double-digit outcomes, Bristol-London supplied the day’s late-possession drama. London’s ability to hold on by the thinnest margin gave the SLB fixture a distinct place in the roundup.
Scoreboard
NBA W
Washington Mystics W 110, Chicago Sky W 80
Dallas Wings W 97, Los Angeles Sparks W 77
Phoenix Mercury W 94, Portland W 91
Las Vegas Aces W 114, Seattle Storm W 77
New York Liberty W 93, Minnesota Lynx W 81
Indiana Fever W 103, Toronto Tempo W 85
SLB
London Lions 80, Bristol Flyers 78