WNBA 2025 Playoffs
After the first 44-game season in WNBA history, the playoff field is set with eight teams vying for the 2025 WNBA USA championship.
The field features seven of the eight teams from the 2024 USA playoffs, including the defending champion Liberty, the top-seeded Lynx and the scorching-hot Aces, who bring a 16-game win streak into the playoffs.
The one new addition to the playoff field is historic as the USA Valkyries became the first expansion team to reach the postseason in their inaugural season.
Before we dive into each USA team and series, a few reminders on changes for the 2025 playoffs. After two decades of the WNBA Finals being decided in a best-of-five, the series will now feature a best-of-seven to determine the champion. The opening round remains a best-of-three, but will feature a 1-1-1 format, guaranteeing all teams will host at least one playoff game.
Minnesota (34-10): After losing in the USA 2024 Finals in heartbreaking fashion on the road, the Lynx played the 2025 season with a chip on their shoulder as they rolled to the best record in the league, securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Led by MVP candidate Napheesa Coller – who just posted the second-ever 50-40-90 season in league history – the Lynx are seeking their record fifth championship and first since 2017.
USA Golden State (23-21): In a season full of historic moments, the Valkyries will make more on Sunday when they tip off their first-ever playoff game in their inaugural season. Golden State has defied the odds all season long thanks to breakout seasons from play
ers like Veronica Burton, Ilana Rupert and rookie Janelle Salaün along with veteran Tiffany Hayes, who brings a team-high 33 games of playoff experience but has been ruled out for Game 1 (knee).
Season Series: Lynx 4-0
June 1: Lynx 86, Valkyries 75
July 5: Lynx 82, Valkyries 71
Sept. 6: Lynx 78, Valkyries 72
Sept. 11: Lynx 72, Valkyries 53
The Matchup: In an ironic twist of fate, this 1 vs. 8 matchup was solidified in the final week of the regular season as the Valkyries lost two games to the Lynx as part of a three-game losing streak that dropped Golden State from the sixth to the eighth seed. Now, the Valkyries will try to find a way to solve the Lynx with the stakes at their highest. This matchup features two of the top three defenses in the WNBA, but Minnesota also touts the league’s top offense, while Golden State ranks 10th.
Las Vegas (30-14): No team in WNBA history has come into a postseason run on a hotter streak than the Aces, who won their final 16 regular USA season games (by an average of 12.4 points) to earn the No. 2 seed. Sitting at .500 (11-11) at the season’s midpoint, Las Vegas went 19-3 behind the extraordinary play of A’ja Wilson, the two-way USA brilliance of Jackie Young, the addition of NaLyssa Smith and Jewell Loyd thriving in a reserve role. And don’t forget about the Point Gawd – former Finals MVP Chelsea Gray – running the show.
Seattle (23-21): With Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and trade deadline addition USA Brittney Sykes, the Storm feature a league-high four 2025 All-Stars, but needed a win in their final regular season game to secure a playoff berth after going just 9-12 following the All-Star break – the lowest win percentage of any playoff team. The Storm boast a top-four defense and led the WNBA in steals and points off turnovers. That defense will be tested as Vegas, which has averaged 88.6 points per game during their win streak.
Season Series: Tied 2-2
May 25: Storm 102, Aces 82
June 1: Aces 75, Storm 70
June 20: Storm 90, Aces 83
Aug. 8: Aces 94, Storm 90
The Matchup: These teams meet in the first round for the second straight postseason after Las Vegas eliminated Seattle 2-0 a year ago. That Storm team featured Loyd, who requested and was granted a trade in the offseason after spending her first decade (and w
inning two titles) in Seattle. The teams split their season series 2-2 with three of the four games decided by seven points or less. While both teams finished with a league-high 14 wins in games featuring clutch time – score within five points in final five minutes – the Aces went 14-5 in such games compared to the Storm’s 14-15 mark.
Atlanta (30-14): The Dream doubled their win total from last year, shattered the team record for wins in a season (30) and finished with their highest win percentage (.682) in franchise history. Powered by the All-Star trio of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones, the USA Dream are the hottest team outside of Vegas entering the postseason – winning 15 of their last 18 games, including their final six games. Under first-year coach Karl Smesko, the Dream finished second in both USA offensive and defensive USA efficiency – after finishing 12th and 6th, respectively, last season.
Indiana (24-20): The Fever earning the No. 6 seed is a testament to the team’s ability to overcome adversity all season long. Indiana saw Caitlin Clark limited to just 13 games (she last played on July 15), the midseason departure of DeWanna Bonner and five players with season-ending injuries that forced the Fever to sign and incorporate multiple players at the end of the season. Helping keep Indy afloat were All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, who will each have to continue to play a major role if the Fever hope to advance.
Season Series: Tied 2-2
May 20: Dream 91, Fever 90
May 22: Fever 81, Dream 76
June 10: Dream 77, Fever 58
July 11: Fever 99, Dream 82
The Matchup: One of these two teams will win their first playoff series in a decade – the Dream last won a series in 2016, while the Fever’s last series win came during their 2015 run to the Finals. Atlanta and Indy split their season series, but Sunday’s Game 1 will be their first meeting in over two months – that July 11 game featured four of the five players Indy lost to season-ending injuries. This matchup features the second- and third-ranked offenses in the WNBA in Atlanta (108.2) holding a slight edge on Indy (106.2), which means this series may come down to which defense steps up the most.
Phoenix (27-17): After being swept by the Lynx in last year’s first round, the Mercury underwent a roster overhaul – returning only two USA players in Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack, while adding MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas, former No. 2 pick Satou Sabally and nine more new players. In early July, they added former Mercury champion DeWanna Bonner following her exit from Indiana. With Thomas orchestrating the offense (racking up a league-high eight triple-doubles) and a top-five defense, the Mercury enjoyed their best season (.614 win percentage) since their last title run in 2014.
New York (27-17): The Liberty opened their first title defense by going 9-0 out of the gate, looking like a well-oiled machine. But injuries struck – first to Jonquel Jones and followed by Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud – which disrupted the team’s flow and saw New York drop to fifth in the standings. One silver lining has been the addition of Emma Meesseman, who was signed to help fill the void left by Stewart, giving New York three former Finals MVPs (Stewart in 2018 and 2020, Meesseman in 2019, Jones in 2024). With everyone healthy to open the playoffs, can the Liberty make another title run?
Season Series: Mercury 3-1
June 19: Mercury 89, Liberty 81
June 27: Mercury 106, Liberty 91
July 25: Liberty 89, Mercury 76
Aug. 30: Mercury 80, Liberty 63
The Matchup: The Mercury and Liberty finished with matching 27-17 records, with Phoenix earning home-court advantage by winning the season series 3-1. Between the matching records and the tale of the tape – NY fifth in offense and sixth in defense, Phoenix seventh in offense and fifth in defense, both teams top four in pace – this is shaping up to be a tight series. One key person in this matchup won’t be in uniform. It’s Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who returns to USA Phoenix, where she led the USA Mercury to eight straight playoff appearances, including the 2014 title run and 2021 Finals run – the latter includes Phoenix’s last playoff victory.
Playoff Power Rankings
Each week throughout the regular season, I power ranked all 13 teams to go beyond the simple win-loss record and give a more complete look at each team’s overall strength and performance at that time in the season.
I’ll do the same throughout the USA playoffs at the beginning of each round. With the opening round tipping off today, the red-hot Aces take over the top spot after closing the regular season on a 16-game win streak. Las Vegas has not lost a game since Aug. 2.
The other team to get a bump up from their USA playoff seed is the Liberty, who will begin their title defense with something they haven’t had for months – a healthy roster. After opening the season 9-0, New York was hit by the injury bug as Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud all missed significant time.
The Liberty enter their title defense with the most playoff experience of any team in the field. How much will that experience come into play this postseason?
Las Vegas Aces
Minnesota Lynx
Atlanta Dream
New York Liberty
Phoenix Mercury
Indiana Fever
Seattle Storm
Golden State Valkyries
The 2025 WNBA playoffs have arrived. All four first-round series will get underway Sunday with an exciting quadruple header. Notably, the best-of-three first round has been switched from a 2-1 format to a 1-1-1 format this season, which not only guarantees every team a home game, but gives the higher seed the winner-take-all Game 3 at home, if necessary.
Ayala: Lynx in 2. The Valkyries' focus on defense has gotten them far in their inaugural season, but it won't be enough to get through the Lynx. Minnesota is on a mission to return to the Finals and has the will and the skill to sweep in the first round.
Gibbs: Lynx in 2. Golden State has been one of the best stories of the WNBA season, but they're going to have to wait until next year to win a playoff series. The Lynx simply have too much talent up and down their roster for the scrappy Valkyries to have a shot.
Gonzalez: Lynx in 2. What the Valkyries have achieved in their inaugural year is impressive and the future is bright for the franchise. However, the Lynx swept them 4-0 during the regular season and Minnesota won't be any easier to face in the playoffs. The Lynx have been the most dominant team in the league and their experience as last year's runner-up makes them a difficult opponent for anyone.
Maloney: Lynx in 2. This is a mismatch. The Lynx had the best defensive rating in the league (97.5) and the Valkyries had the worst offensive rating (101.5) of any team to make the playoffs. There's no way the Valkyries can keep up with the Lynx.
Ayala: Aces in 3. Although Seattle has been an inconsistent team, they beat Las Vegas twice this season. I think we'll see some fight from the Storm, but the Aces will take the series in three games.
Gibbs: Aces in 2. Erica Wheeler salvaged the Storm's season by hitting the winning shot to get them into the playoffs last week, but I don't think the good vibes are going to last -- Seattle has been a frustrating watch all season, and their inconsistency and lack of fourth-quarter prowess will lead to another postseason disappointment. I do not expect the Aces to go through the playoffs undefeated, but their winning streak will last for at least two more games.
Gonzalez: Aces in 3. The Aces have been on an incredible winning streak and they certainly have all the tools to sweep Seattle. However, I want to give the Storm some credit. They have been inconsistent all season, but they are used to tight games and perhaps that experience can help them win one.
Maloney: Aces in 3. The Aces have the best player in the world in A'ja Wilson and closed the season on a 16-game winning streak. They are rightfully favored in the series, but the Storm are not a typical No. 7 seed. Seattle has an elite defense and a frontcourt capable of making life difficult for Wilson. And for all of their issues with consistency, the Storm do get up for big games; they were 10-9 against the top-five seeds and seven of those losses were by single digits.
Ayala: Dream in 2. Atlanta has arrived as a top team under Karl Semesko. Due to the Aces' 16-game winning streak, the Valkyries making history in their inaugural season, and the injury-laden Liberty and Fever occupying headlines, the Dream were underrated in the regular season. They are the most consistent team after the Minnesota Lynx. I expect them to be ready to win a playoff series for the first time since 2016.
Gibbs: Dream in 2. The Fever deserve all the kudos in the world for overcoming their almost comically injury-riddled season and making it to the playoffs, and Indiana fans have every reason to be bullish on the future. But the Dream are not a fluke as a No. 3 seed, and they are going to be out to prove that point to everyone in the first round.
Gonzalez: Dream in 2. The fact that the Fever even made it to the playoffs with so many injuries is applaudable. This is their second consecutive postseason appearance and I predict many more in the near future. That being said, the Dream greatly exceeded expectations in 2025 and the playoffs can be their time to shine even brighter.
Maloney: Dream in 3. The Fever are too shorthanded -- in addition to the five players sidelined by season-ending injuries, Damiris Dantas has been ruled out for at least Game 1 with a concussion -- to make any other pick here. But could Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and their crowd could will them to a win at home in Game 2? That does seem very plausible.
Ayala: Liberty in 3. The Mercury have had the Liberty's number this season and will be a tough first round test. However, I am leaning towards New York. The Liberty have been injured, but they have also failed at times to control the controllables. However, I am betting on the reigning champions to hit the next gear. They will have to be in what I expect to be the first-round series most likely to go the distance and give us an overtime game.
Gibbs: Liberty in 3. This is the first-round series everyone has circled, and for good reason -- it is compelling theater to have the reigning champions go on the road in a best-of-three series against an Alyssa Thomas-led Mercury team with a chip on its shoulder. But unfortunately for the talented Mercury, the Liberty are finally healthy after a season in the infirmary, and New York simply has too much talent and fight to go home this early.
Gonzalez. Liberty in 3. This is the first round series I'm most excited about and could probably go either way. Phoenix has been hot all season (literally and figuratively) and went 3-1 against New York. However, the reigning champs have a ridiculously talented roster and we are finally going to see them at full strength.
Maloney. Liberty in 2. With all due respect to Alyssa Thomas and company, the Liberty were 13-2 this season when Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones were all healthy. And the two defeats occurred in games where Jones and Stewart, respectively, left early with injuries. In 234 minutes with that trio on the floor, the reigning champions boasted a plus-21.2 net rating.
Posted on 2025/09/15 09:09 AM