The 29th WNBA season is just getting started, but we’re already clamoring for the playoff picture—to see the best women in the world play for a championship. While there’s still a lot to sort out in the standings, let’s predict how the playoffs would look if they started today.
The WNBA playoff format is as follows: the quarterfinals are a best-of-three series, the semifinals are a best-of-five, and the finals are a best-of-seven.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | Quarterfinals
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces
No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 7 Indiana Fever
No. 3 Seattle Storm vs. No. 6 Atlanta Dream
No. 4 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 5 Golden State Valkyries
As the standings sit today, the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx would face the eighth-seeded Las Vegas Aces. With this much firepower on both sides, this has the potential to be a Conference Finals—or even Finals—matchup.
While the Aces still have plenty of talent, including the best player in the world, A’ja Wilson, the Lynx have Napheesa Collier to match her, along with more depth and cohesion. This would go three games, but the Lynx would edge it out.
Second-seeded New York would face seventh-seeded Indiana—a preseason favorite for a possible Finals match. This series would also be a thriller, but the Liberty has the edge. The Fever are still figuring out their rotations, while New York is locked and loaded with top-tier talent.
The Liberty take down the Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a THRILLER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4k2pxeHn7U
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)
Next up: Seattle vs. Atlanta. Both teams have scorers, defenders, and vets who can take over. But Nneka Ogwumike has been playing at a first-team All-WNBA level, and her scoring would lift the Storm in three games.
The final quarterfinal would be Phoenix vs. Golden State. Even without Kahleah Copper, the Mercury should make quick work of the Valkyries. Both teams bring defensive intensity, but with Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally leading the way, Phoenix would sweep this one.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | Semifinals
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 4 Phoenix Mercury
No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 3 Seattle Storm
The semifinals give us two elite matchups, stacked with some of the world’s best players.
In the West, it’s Lynx vs. Mercury. Phoenix had the talent edge over Golden State, but that’s not the case here. Without Copper, the Mercury would need heroic efforts from Sabally and Thomas. Minnesota’s depth would wear them down in four games.
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On the other side, the Liberty and Storm clash in what could be a classic. Seattle’s stars can keep up, but New York’s depth and perimeter shooting would prove too much. It’d be a grind, but the Liberty take it in four.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | WNBA Finals
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 2 New York Liberty
For the first time in WNBA history, the Finals are a seven-game series—lining up with the NBA Finals calendar. This predicted showdown gives us a rematch of last year’s Finals, which delivered a fantastic series. Expect more of the same this time.
The Lynx are on a revenge tour after some questionable calls may have cost them the title last year. The Liberty are chasing their first back-to-back title in team history.
All seven games would be needed. And with home-court advantage and the best player in the series—Napheesa Collier—the edge goes to Minnesota. In this projection, the Lynx win their fifth WNBA championship.
