The 2025 WNBA playoffs are delivering drama and surprises at every turn, living up to the hype after a fiercely contested regular season. With the postseason officially underway, fans are witnessing some of the most competitive basketball of the year, as teams battle for supremacy and a shot at the coveted championship trophy. The Minnesota Lynx, who finished the regular season as the league’s top seed, have already punched their ticket to the semifinals, while other series remain deadlocked and poised for thrilling conclusions.
The Lynx have been the talk of the league all season long, dominating the standings even as MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier missed stretches due to injury. Their consistency and depth have made them the favorites in the eyes of oddsmakers, with BetMGM listing them at +110 to win it all as of September 11, 2025. The Lynx’s playoff journey began with a commanding 101-72 victory over the expansion Golden State Valkyries on September 14, but it was their nail-biting 75-74 win in Game 2 on September 17 that truly showcased their championship mettle. That victory ended the Valkyries’ historic inaugural season and sent Minnesota straight to the semifinals, where they’ll have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
“We’ve prided ourselves on depth and resilience all season,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve remarked after the clinching win. “Every player stepped up when it mattered, and that’s what championship teams do.”
The Valkyries, meanwhile, have plenty to be proud of despite their first-round exit. Making the playoffs in their debut season is no small feat, and their performance against the league’s best was nothing short of inspiring. They pushed Minnesota to the brink in Game 2, falling just one point short of forcing a decisive Game 3. The future certainly looks bright for Golden State, and fans are already buzzing about what’s to come for this promising franchise.
Elsewhere in the bracket, the action remains hotly contested. The Las Vegas Aces, who finished the regular season on a blistering 16-game win streak to secure the No. 2 seed, saw that momentum halted by the Seattle Storm in Game 2. The Storm, led by a dynamic duo performance from Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike—who combined for an eye-popping 50 points—stormed back from a deficit to claim an 86-83 victory on September 16, snapping the Aces’ 17-game unbeaten run. That result tied the series at 1-1, setting up a winner-takes-all Game 3 in Las Vegas on Thursday, September 18.
“We never doubted ourselves, even when the odds were against us,” Diggins said postgame. “This group has heart, and we’re not done yet.”
The Aces, two-time defending champions after back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, will need to regroup quickly if they’re to keep their three-peat hopes alive. With title odds at +340, Las Vegas still commands respect, but the Storm’s upset has thrown the series wide open. Fans can catch the decisive Game 3 on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
In the 3 vs. 6 matchup, the Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever are also deadlocked at one win apiece. The Dream took Game 1 with an 80-68 victory, but the Fever—playing without star rookie Caitlin Clark due to injury—bounced back with a commanding 77-60 win in Game 2 on September 16. That sets up another do-or-die Game 3, this time in Atlanta on Thursday night, as both teams look to extend their postseason dreams. The Fever’s resilience, given their injury woes, has been nothing short of remarkable, while the Dream are eager to capitalize on their home-court advantage.
The Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty series has been a rollercoaster as well. The Liberty, last year’s champions after a dramatic Game 5 win over the Lynx, entered the postseason without home-court advantage, a consequence of a regular season marred by injuries and inconsistency. They eked out a 76-69 overtime win in Game 1, but the Mercury roared back with a dominant 86-60 victory in Game 2 on September 17 in New York. That result forces a decisive Game 3 in Phoenix on Friday, September 19, with both teams vying for a spot in the semifinals. The Mercury, with odds at +1500, are looking to recapture some postseason magic, while the Liberty hope to defend their title against the odds.
The WNBA’s new playoff format has added extra intrigue to the proceedings. The first round now follows a 1-1-1 structure, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 3, and the lower seed hosting Game 2. The semifinals expand to a best-of-five, and for the first time in league history, the Finals will be a best-of-seven series, running in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. This change ensures that the league’s best teams have every chance to prove themselves over a longer series, and fans are already anticipating the marathon battles to come.
Looking ahead, the semifinals are set to begin on Sunday, September 21, with Game 1 scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on ABC and another at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. Should any of the current series require a third game, those will be played on Thursday or Friday, ensuring a quick turnaround and little rest for the victors. The Finals tip off on Friday, October 3, and could run all the way to a potential Game 7 on Friday, October 17, if necessary.
Viewers can catch all the playoff action live on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, with streaming available on fubo for those looking to follow every twist and turn. The league’s parity and unpredictability have made for must-see TV, and with so many series still up for grabs, there’s no telling who will emerge as champion.
As the dust settles on the first round, one thing is clear: the 2025 WNBA postseason is shaping up to be one for the ages. With the Minnesota Lynx already through and the rest of the field battling for survival, the race for the championship is wide open. Basketball fans everywhere will be glued to their screens as the semifinals approach and the league’s brightest stars continue to shine on the biggest stage.
