Your Guide to WNBA Playoffs - LITE

Minnesota Lynx vs Golden State Valkyries

The Minnesota Lynx ride into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed with a 34–10 record, tying the all-time single-season wins mark. On the other side, the Golden State Valkyries etched history in their debut season. Finishing as the No. 8 seed at 23-21, they became the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in year one.

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Storylines To Watch:

Home factor: Minnesota has been a fortress, with the Lynx going 20-2 on home floor. Golden State isn’t far behind (14-8) but with their home court shifting 45 miles down the road from Chase Center to San José’s SAP Center, it could be a major difference.

Motivated Lynx: Minnesota is fueled by last year’s Finals heartbreak, where they still believe the championship “was stolen” in a dramatic Game 5. A title run would give Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx their fifth WNBA championship, the most in league history.

Bench depth: Golden State’s bench averages 24.3 points per game, third-best in the WNBA. Worth noting, though, Lynx’s bench is the fourth best, producing 22.8 points per game, meaning second units could decide momentum.

Minnesota swept GSV 4–0 in the regular season, but Playoffs basketball has its own rules.

The Las Vegas Aces enter the 2025 WNBA playoffs as the No. 2 seed with a 30-14 regular-season record, a significant improvement from their middling form at the All-Star break. Seattle, at 23–21, snatched the final playoff spot on the last day with a dramatic 74–73 win over Golden State.

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Storylines To Watch:

Clashing Systems: Vegas flows through Wilson’s pick-and-pops and perimeter spacing, while Seattle leans on a switch-heavy defense. Both sit neck-and-neck defensively (80.1 vs. 80.7 points allowed).

Loyd’s Revenge: After a decade in Seattle, Jewell Loyd’s exit was messy. Reports of locker room tensions and her trade request following an internal investigation make this meeting personal. Now she meets her old team on the biggest stage.

Coaching Chess Match: Noelle Quinn and Becky Hammon, both respected from their playing days, have now been with their team for quite a few years, cementing themselves as tactical leaders. Expect in-game adjustments and substitution patterns to be decisive in this series.

The teams split their season series 2-2, with each game decided by an average of just 7.5 points. Who breaks through when it matters?

The Atlanta Dream enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed with a franchise-best 30–14 record, doubling their wins from last season. Indiana, though hit by five season-ending injuries, clawed to No. 6 at 24–20, their first back-to-back postseason since 2015–16.

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Storylines To Watch:

Indiana’s Fight: Despite brutal setbacks, Indiana clawed into the playoffs and now want to prove their resilience wasn’t wasted.

MVP-level Guard Battle: Allisha Gray vs. Kelsey Mitchell - who leaves the bigger stamp?

Size Mismatch: Atlanta has a big height advantage. Very few teams including Fever can beat their double big (Brittney Griner & Briona Jones) lineup.

Clashing Styles: Atlanta thrives on motion offense through Howard/Gray pick-and-rolls and Jones’ interior finishes. Indiana, meanwhile, ranks top five in steals (7.7 per game) and pushes in transition, compared to Atlanta’s 6.8 (11th).

Home-Court Edge: Add in the new 1-1-1 format, and the Dream’s 16-6 home record looms large against Indy’s 11-11 road mark.

The season series was 2–2, but the real answers come now.

The defending champs, the New York Liberty, head into the playoffs as the No. 5 seed at 27–17, a step back from last year’s top spot. Phoenix, at 27–17 as well, surged late to steal the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage.

Check out the full series preview here.

Storylines To Watch:

Foul Factor: Breanna Stewart (6.5 FTA) and Sabrina Ionescu (4.3 FTA) draw heavy contact inside - will Phoenix defend smart or send New York to the line, where they lead the league (83.7%)?

Beyond the Arc: The Liberty bank on efficiency (35.5%), while Phoenix leans on volume (27.7 attempts per game). A hot or cold night from deep could completely flip the series script.

Identity Clash: Phoenix’s havoc defense ranks top-three in steals (7.8 per game) and forces 15+ turnovers on average, sparking fast-break chances. New York answers with motion-heavy offense and crisp ball movement.

Phoenix took the season series 3–1, but the playoffs reset everything. Who really owns the edge?

Now that you know each team’s strengths and how they matchup against each other, tell us....