WNBA Playoff Race Intensifies as Regular Season Nears End

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The 2025 WNBA regular season is approaching its conclusion, with playoff spots starting to fill up. As of Sunday, four of the eight playoff positions have been secured, and only the top seed has been clinched.

With less than two weeks left in the season, five teams still compete for the remaining four slots. The Los Angeles Sparks earned a crucial victory on Sunday to stay in contention, trailing the three teams ahead of them.

In a key matchup, the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Indiana Fever, allowing the Valkyries to rise to sixth in the standings while pushing the Fever down to eighth place. Play continues Monday with three games lined up, although only two will impact the playoff race.

The playoff format includes the top eight teams, regardless of conference, placed into a standard eight-team bracket. The first round features a best-of-three series, with semifinals in a best-of-five format and the Finals being a best-of-seven series.

The regular season concludes on September 11, and the playoffs kick off on September 14. The last possible Finals date is October 19.

The Minnesota Lynx have officially secured a playoff berth and clinched the No. 1 overall seed with an impressive record of 31-8 after defeating the Connecticut Sun on Saturday. This victory also set a new franchise record for wins in a season, with the Lynx aiming to break the WNBA record of 34 wins held by the Las Vegas Aces.

The Aces are on a roll, winning their 12th consecutive game against the Atlanta Dream this past Wednesday. The Dream rebounded with a victory on Friday, also securing their playoff spot.

The Phoenix Mercury, having already clinched a postseason spot, secured their place firmly in fourth after a blowout victory over the New York Liberty. Meanwhile, the Liberty are 1 ½ games behind the Mercury and Dream, trailing by two games to the Aces.

The Valkyries showcased a strong shooting performance, hitting 63.2% from the three-point line against the Fever, extending their winning streak to three games. The Sparks aim to compete for a playoff berth for the first time since 2020, needing help to close the gap between them and the Fever.

The Washington Mystics officially joined the teams headed for the lottery after their recent loss to the Valkyries. Although they challenged expectations early in the season, they faltered late after trading All-Star guard Erica Wheeler.

The Sun, along with the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, have struggled all summer and are now locked into the lottery. The Wings are the only team among them controlling their own first-round pick in the 2026 draft, while the Sky and Sun owe picks to the Lynx and have complicated draft implications.