Portland is On Fire... Literally! What is Working with This Particular Expansion Team?

Coming off their third straight victory, the newly added Portland Fire are shaking up the league in ways no one expected.

A Blazing Win Streak

Taking complete control the entire matchup with the Connecticut Sun last night, the Portland Fire won their third straight game and have no signs of stopping. The past three games for the Fire have been nothing short of perfection. Consisting of selfless plays, full team efforts, and all-around dominance, this win streak began on the road as Portland took a monstrous victory over the fellow expansion team, Toronto Tempo, 99-80. Lead by one of the best performances in her career, Emily Engstler had things going for the Fire as she contributed 16 points and 7 rebounds on nearly 63% shooting. This literal fire in Portland's play would continue as they would go on to defeat the Liberty in New York, 81-74 fueled by a masterclass from Carla Leite. Helping limit the 25-point clinic from Liberty star, Breanna Stewart, Leite put up 18 points of her own, leading the Fire in scoring. Taking their talents and hot streak back home to Portland, the Fire took a controlling win over the Connecticut Sun, 71-61. Once again, Carla Leite lead the team with 20 points accompanied by a sensational 13-point, 7-rebound outing from Bridget Carleton.

Growth in Young Talent

Emily Engstler

Joining her fourth franchise in five seasons as a pro, Emily Engstler is having the best season of her career thus far. The Fourth Overall Pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft showed promise in her rookie season for the Indiana Fever averaging 5.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Despite having a respectable rookie season, Engstler was waived by the Fever and bounced around from the Washington Mystics to the Minnesota Lynx in 2023 signing hardship contracts. Engstler would go on to spend 12 games with the Lynx, though she was not re-signed in the offseason that followed. In 2024, Engstler was signed by the Washington Mystics to a Training Camp Contract and remained on the team for both the 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons. Washington seemed to be a good fit for Engstler, although she did experience a cut in playing time in 2025. When the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft came around, Engstler was drafted by the Portland Fire, a fresh start to make a name for herself. Thus far, Engstler is averaging 8.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for the Fire. Alongside this immense improvement, Engstler is also one that has found her way in the starting lineup in each of the games played thus far. As the season progresses, Engstler is one to keep a lookout for as she continues to help lead this franchise.

Carla Leite

Completing an impressive rookie season with the Golden State Valkyries, helping lead the team to the playoffs in their inaugural season was Carla Leite. Leite was a reliable source for the Valkyries as she was often one of the first players off the bench serving as a sparkplug on both ends of the court. Leite averaged 7.2 points and 2.0 assists per game for Golden State, showing a bright future as the season went on. Leite was also selected by the Portland Fire in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, and a sneaky selection to say the least. The 9th Overall Pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft has made several starts already this season and she can only be expected to see the court even more. Leite played a huge role in the Fire's victory over the Connecticut Sun last night as she recorded 20 points and 3 assists on shooting a field-goal percentage of 40% and nearly 67% from three. Now up to averaging 16.3 points and 4.0 assists per game thus far in the season, Leite not only looks to make a name for herself as a player but also uplift Portland as they are now back in the WNBA for the first time in over 20 years.

Sarah Ashlee Barker

In just her second season in the W, Sarah Ashlee Barker has made a huge jump since her rookie season. Going from 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game in her first season with the Los Angeles Sparks to 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game with the Portland Fire, Barker is among the few young talents to find themselves exceeding any expectations. In the 2025 WNBA Draft, Barker was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the Ninth Overall Pick. Playing behind the Sparks' standout guards, Kelsey Plum and Rae Burrell, Barker would learn a lot from them as she developed as a player. In the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, the Portland Fire would also draft Barker, a very underrated selection to say the least. The Fire's selection of Barker had to be one of the smartest in the draft because she is young, teachable, and selfless. Thus far, Barker is seeing a consistent increase in playing time and could likely even be seen in the starting lineup in weeks to come.

What's Next for Portland?

Following their 10-point victory against the Connecticut Sun, the Portland Fire have a 1-day break before they take on the Atlanta Dream on May 29, 2026. This matchup with the Dream will be difficult as it will be a test to the Fire's durability and ability to fight in the paint. With All-Stars, Angel Reese and Brionna Jones at the forefront of the Atlanta's frontcourt, Portland will have to give it everything they've got to stop not only their elite post work, but also the incredible shooting and scoring ability of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Jordin Canada. Can Portland's seasoned veteran bigs, Megan Gustafson and Bridget Carleton do enough on defense to make this matchup tight?