Sun can’t afford a letdown against Wings

Connecticut is in the playoffs, but would like a home game, too

The Connecticut Sun want to host a WNBA playoff game.

Connecticut likely has to win out to get one because so many teams are bunched up in the overall standings.

The Sun play host to the Dallas Wings tonight (Mohegan Sun Arena, NBCSB, 7), the first of three straight home games to end the regular season.

Seven of the league's eight playoff berths have been clinched. The top two seeds get a double-bye into the best-of-five semifinals. The third and fourth seeds get a bye into the second round. The fifth and sixth seeds get a home game in the first round. The first two rounds are single-elimination.

The first-place Seattle Storm (248) have already clinched one of the top two seeds. The Atlanta Dream (22-10) would get the second seed with a win or a Washington Mystics loss.

Three games separate third-place Washington (20-11) and the seventh-place Minnesota Lynx (17-14).

Connecticut (18-13) is in fourth place and can finish as high as third place. It and Washington split their season series.

The Los Angeles Sparks are also 18-13, but the Sun hold the edge, having already clinched the headto-head tiebreaker. The teams play again on the final day of the regular season (Aug. 19). Los Angeles plays at Washington on Friday.

The Phoenix Mercury (18-14) are only a half-game behind Connecticut and won the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Sun lead defending champion Minnesota by 1 1/2 games because they won the season series. The teams play again Friday.

Dallas (14-17) has been reeling since July 20. It's lost eight in a row and head coach Fred Williams was fired after a postgame altercation with team president and CEO Greg Bibb following Sunday's 9380 loss at Washington.

Former Sun standout Taj McWilliams-Franklin has been elevated from Wings' assistant to interim head coach.

The Wings, despite all their struggles, are still in eighth place with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Las Vegas Sparks (13-18).

Dallas played the last two games without WNBA MVP candidate Liz Cambage (neck) and reserve Kaela Davis (illness). Cambage was hurt after getting tangled up with Connecticut's Jonquel Jones and falling backwards onto her head during an Aug. 8 game. The 6-foot-8 Cambage, who leads the league in scoring (23 ppg) and is second in rebounds (9.6), is listed as probable. Davis is doubtful. n.griffen@theday.com