Welp, after lingering in the possibility longer than anyone else, Portland has been mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the WNBA playoffs in 2026. The elimination came after a big loss in Dallas, a stark showing of the Wings’ talent and skill relative to the Fire’s potential and room for growth.

The Fire remain in 9th place in the standings, 1.5 games ahead of Chicago. They are the best of the rest, an amazing place to be for an expansion team. Last season’s Golden State Valkyries remain the only expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their first season, so this fresh elimination should not sting for any Portland fan.

Portland has been playing like a playoff-capable team since the All-Star break, and their players are showing real growth, both as individuals and as cogs in coach Alex Sarama’s loose and free system. The team leads the league in 3-point attempts per game, their pace is up, and there are great individual performances all over the place, particularly from Carla Leite and Emily Engstler.

And let’s not forget that the Fire have been playing this well without a key member and starter on their team, Sarah Ashlee Barker, who rejoined the team after a couple of weeks at home in Alabama undergoing and starting recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery. Portland really misses SA’s defense, ball-handling, three-point shooting, and knack for making great things happen.

The team now looks forward to their final five games, three of which are against the hottest team in the league in the Golden State Valkyries, and four of which will take place after the FIBA World Cup Break.

So, what is left for this Fire team? What is left for us as fans?

Counter to what fans of an eliminated fan might think, there’s nothing but great basketball ahead of us. The Fire have never been as good as they are right now. Yes, there are some injuries and absences that are pulling from their true highest potential, but every player on the team is markedly better than they were when the season started, and that progress isn’t going anywhere. In fact, I’m writing this as I watch the game in Atlanta, and they are putting a mild smack-down on the 4th place team that is supposed to be at their best right now, too (and it’s getting a bit scrappy, another reason to continue watching).

In addition to that, they play one of the most fun teams in the league three times: the GS Valkyries. A schedule oddity, surely, but also a really fun way to end an expansion season against last year’s expansion team, whom the Fire stole away an assistant GM and a backup point guard who have, in one year, become big successes in their now-leading roles. The Fire got shellacked in their one game against Golden State so far, so the opportunity for revenge is ripe.

But the real reason to watch is because the learning, the getting better, never stops. The players get an opportunity, and so do we. What can we learn to be better informed for the coming off-season? What can we learn to be better informed for this post-season when we focus on 8 other teams? No one needs to study game tape to enjoy basketball, but context and experience is deeply rewarding, and every game gives you both.

There is more to sports than winning the championship or tanking for the #1 pick. 2 of the 15 teams get to realize those outcomes a season — that’s 13%. A majority of fans’ lives will be spent in the middle of things, in the trenches of the mundane everyday struggle. That’s where real life happens, and that’s the best place to be. These random upset wins in building seasons are going to be what flash through our minds when this team wins a championship one day.

And, as if to prove what I’m trying to say here, the Fire just played one of their best games of the season in Atlanta (where they are now 2-0 this season 👀) with Emily Engstler having the best night of her career (4 BLOCKS AND 4 STEALS!!!).

I’ll see you on Sunday, for the Valkyries first game in the NEW hottest new team’s stadium.

Bridget Carleton on Sue Bird’s podcast!

Carla Leite and Bridget Carleton made ESPN’s Top 50 Players list!