WNBA Playoffs 2025: Bracket, Schedule, Teams, and Championship Predictions

The WNBA postseason is here, bringing fresh excitement, historic firsts, and high-stakes matchups. With a new format in play, eight teams are ready to battle for the championship in a tournament that promises drama and intensity from the opening tip.

Format Changes

For 2025, the playoff structure has been adjusted:

Eight teams qualify, regardless of conference standings.

First Round: Best-of-three. Higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3, lower seed hosts Game 2.

Semifinals: Best-of-five. Higher seeds host Games 1, 2, and 5 if necessary.

Finals: For the first time, a best-of-seven. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7.

Teams are not re-seeded after the first round.
This new structure adds balance and rewards regular-season performance while giving lower seeds a chance to steal momentum on their home court.

Playoff Teams and Seeding

1. Minnesota Lynx (34-10) – The league’s best record, tying the WNBA all-time mark for wins. Napheesa Collier leads a well-balanced roster looking for redemption after last year’s Finals disappointment.
2. Las Vegas Aces (30-14) – Closed the season on a stunning 16-game win streak, entering the postseason as perhaps the hottest team in the league.
3. Atlanta Dream (30-14) – Surging behind elite guard play and defensive toughness, the Dream look poised for a deep run.
4. Phoenix Mercury (27-17) – Fueled by Diana Taurasi’s veteran leadership, Phoenix is aiming for another Finals appearance.
5. New York Liberty (27-17) – The defending champions, hungry to prove themselves after finishing outside the top seed this time.
6. Indiana Fever (24-20) – Winners of the Commissioner’s Cup but without Caitlin Clark, whose season ended after 13 games due to injury.
7. Seattle Storm (23-21) – A resilient roster that battled through a streaky season to secure a spot.
8. Golden State Valkyries (23-21) – The first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in its inaugural season, setting the stage for a historic postseason debut.

First-Round Matchups

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs (8) Golden State Valkyries
Game 1: Sept 14, 1 p.m. ET at Minnesota (ESPN)
Game 2: Sept 17, 10 p.m. ET at Golden State (ESPN)
Game 3: Sept 19, TBD at Minnesota (ESPN2, if necessary)

(2) Las Vegas Aces vs (7) Seattle Storm
Game 1: Sept 14, 10 p.m. ET at Las Vegas (ESPN)
Game 2: Sept 16, 9:30 p.m. ET at Seattle (ESPN)
Game 3: Sept 18, TBD at Las Vegas (ESPN2, if necessary)

(3) Atlanta Dream vs (6) Indiana Fever
Game 1: Sept 14, 3 p.m. ET at Atlanta (ABC)
Game 2: Sept 16, 7:30 p.m. ET at Indiana (ESPN)
Game 3: Sept 18, TBD at Atlanta (ESPN2, if necessary)

(4) Phoenix Mercury vs (5) New York Liberty
Game 1: Sept 14, 5 p.m. ET at Phoenix (ESPN)
Game 2: Sept 17, 8 p.m. ET at New York (ESPN)
Game 3: Sept 19, TBD at Phoenix (ESPN2, if necessary)


Key Storylines

Can Minnesota Finish the Job? The Lynx dominated the regular season and Collier is an MVP frontrunner. But can they erase memories of last year’s Finals loss?

Aces’ Red-Hot Momentum: A 16-game winning streak makes Las Vegas the scariest team entering the bracket.

Liberty’s Title Defense: New York’s star power remains intact. But as a lower seed, they’ll need to grind out wins on the road.

Phoenix’s Veteran Edge: Taurasi’s leadership and playoff experience could tilt a close series.

Atlanta’s Breakthrough Chance: With young stars surging, the Dream could be this year’s dark horse.

Fever’s Big Test Without Clark: Indiana must adjust without their superstar rookie, relying on depth and resilience.

Golden State’s Historic Debut: The expansion Valkyries have already made history; now they aim to shock the league with an upset.

Seattle’s Resilience: Despite inconsistency, the Storm have playoff pedigree and won’t go down quietly.

hat’s Next

The first round runs from September 14–19, followed by the semifinals and the newly expanded best-of-seven Finals. Games will air across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, with streaming available on ESPN platforms.

With new storylines, record-setting performances, and fresh playoff rival