It’s that time of year! The WNBA regular season has come to an end and the league is heating up in the postseason. The WNBA has had its most successful year ever bringing in record viewership and attendance. Much of this recent buzz is accredited to the league’s star-studded rookie class led by number one overall draft pick out of The University of Iowa, Caitlin Clark, LSU national champion Angel Reese, and Stanford superstar Cameron Brink. The league is in a place where it has never been before. Teams are consistently selling out games and having to move to larger arenas to account for the high demand. Things are getting good as the top teams embark on their quest for basketball glory so let’s break down how the postseason works in the W.
How it Works
The WNBA is composed of 12 teams with the top 8 earning a spot in the playoffs. This season’s playoff teams are as follows:
- New York Liberty
- Minnesota Lynx
- Connecticut Sun
- Las Vegas Aces
- Seattle Storm
- Indiana Fever
- Phoenix Mercury
- Atlanta Dream
The WNBA Finals consists of 3 rounds: Round 1, the Semi-Finals, and the Finals.Â
Round 1
The first round of the WNBA playoffs was filled with action. While none of the 4 matchups forced a game 3, the first round saw some exciting games. Number 1 seed New York Liberty led by Olympic gold medalist star duo, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, faced the 2024 WNBA skills challenge and 3-point contest winner Allisha Gray and the number 8 seed Atlanta Dream. Games 1 and 2 were played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York where The Liberty won the first two games earning them a ticket to the semi-finals.Â
At The Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier averaged 40 points in the first round leading the Minnesota Lynx to the semis. The Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury and all-time great Diana Taurasi in what could be her 20th and final season in the WNBA.Â
WNBA All-Defensive First Team’s DiJonai Carrington led the Connecticut Sun to two straight wins at The Mohegan Sun Arena knocking out Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.Â
The final matchup saw the reigning WNBA champs, Las Vegas Aces, and 2024 WNBA MVP, A’ja Wilson, defeat Jewell Loyd and the Seattle Storm at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Nevada.Â
Semi-Finals
The semi-finals are amid two electric matchups, the first of which will be a repeat of last season’s finalists: The New York Liberty and The Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty are hungry for their first franchise championship with an appetite for revenge after falling to the Aces in Game 4 in last year’s finals. The Aces are on a mission to defend their title and win their third successive championship. This matchup was always going to be a thriller and with two games down, New York lead the series 2-0 winning the first 2 games at home in Brooklyn. The series will continue Friday, October 4th in Las Vegas where The Liberty can clinch a ticket to the finals with a win.Â
In the other matchup, The Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx are currently tied 1-1. In Connecticut, The Sun will take on The Lynx for games 3 and 4. If a game 5 is needed the two teams will head back to Minnesota for the decider.Â
All 4 teams are fighting for their life in the postseason so be sure to tune in for the remainder of what will continue to be two exciting series.
Finals
The WNBA Finals will be a thriller so be sure to watch! The first three games will take place on October 10th, 13th, and 16th and if games 4 and 5 are necessary they will take place on October 18th and 20th.Â
The WNBA is in its biggest season yet and has certainly lived up to the hype. Will the Aces take their third successive championship, will we see an old dynasty come back to life, or will the WNBA have a first-time champion? Follow along to see because you do not want to miss this!