WNBA playoff schedule 2025: How to watch first-round games
Three teams have secured their spot in the WNBA semifinals.
The Indiana Fever are headed to the next round after winning their first playoff series in 10 years. The sixth-seeded Fever, who lost five players to season-ending injuries this season, including Caitlin Clark, rallied on the road Thursday to eliminate the third-seeded Atlanta Dream in three games.
Also on Thursday, theLas Vegas Acesbeat theSeattle Stormon a winning shot fromJackie Youngwith 12 seconds remaining.
The Aces will host the Fever on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC) in Game 1.
On Wednesday, the top-seeded Minnesota Lynxbecame the first team to clinch a spot in the semifinals after rallying from a 17-point deficiton the road. Minnesota will play the winner of Friday'sNew York Liberty-Phoenix MercuryGame 3 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The WNBA semifinals is a best-of-five 2-2-1 setup, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2 and 5.
For the first time, the WNBA Finals -- which are scheduled to open Oct. 3 -- will expand to a best-of-seven series (2-2-1-1-1) in which the higher seed would host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
We'll update each series as games are played and each round as matchups are decided.
Jump to round:br/>First Round | Semifinals | WNBA Finals
MORE: Semifinal preview: Fever-Aces | Top 25 players in the postseason
FIRST ROUND
(1) Minnesota Lynxdefeat (8) Golden State Valkyries2-0
Game 1:Lynx 101, Valkyries 72
>Game 2: Lynx 75, Valkyries 74
- Lynx mount 17-point rally to sweep Valkyries
- Valkyries' Natalie Naksase named WNBA Coach of Year
- Golden State coach Nakase fined for criticism of officials
- Nakase calls out officiating after Valkyries lose big in Game 1
(2) Las Vegas Acesdefeat (7) Seattle Storm2-1
Game 1: Aces 102, Storm 77
>Game 2:Storm 86, Aces 83
>Game 3:Aces 74, Storm 73
- Young's putback sends Aces back to WNBA Finals
- Storm halt Aces 17-game win streak, force Game 3
- Longtime friends Ogwumike, Diggins hope to extend Storm's season
- From dormant to dominant: Inside the rise of Dominique Malonga
- Loyd: Storm drama in past, 'at peace' in Vegas
(6) Indiana Fever defeat (3) Atlanta Dream 2-1
Game 1: Dream 80, Fever 68
>Game 2: Fever 77, Dream 60
>Game 3:Fever 87, Dream 85
- 'We believed it': Fever stun Dream, win first playoff series since 2015
- From six losing seasons to sneaky contenders: How the Dream rebuilt franchise
- Fever leap another hurdle, stay alive in Game 2 rout
- On brink of playoff elimination, Fever are banking on resilience in Game 2
- Dream's Hillmon wants to take perfect shot -- as player and photographer
- Dream defense stifles Fever in Game 1 victory
(4) Phoenix Mercury vs. (5) New York Liberty
Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69
>Game 2:Mercury 86, Liberty 60
>Game 3: Liberty at Mercury, Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- Liberty 'embarrassed' by Mercury in 26-point rout
- Thomas' competitive fire drives championship quest in Phoenix
- Stewart suffers MCL sprain but will play in Game 2
- Inside Sunday's openers: How Liberty beat Mercury in OT
- Liberty win Game 1 on road; Stewart exits overtime with knee injury
- After season of adversity, can Liberty put together another title run?
SEMIFINALS
Sunday, Sept. 21
Game 1:Indiana at Las Vegas, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
>Game 1: Phoenix/New York at Minnesota, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, Sept. 23
Game 2: Phoenix/New York at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
>Game 2: Indiana at Las Vegas, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Sept. 26
Game 3: Minnesota at Phoenix/New York, TBD (ESPN2)
>Game 3: Las Vegas at Indiana, TBD (ESPN2)
Sunday, Sept. 28
Game 4*:Las Vegas at Indiana, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
>Game 4*:Minnesota at New York/Phoenix, TBD (TBD)
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Game 5*:Phoenix/New York at Minnesota (TBD)
>Game 5*:Indiana at Las Vegas (TBD)
* If necessary
WNBA FINALS
Friday, Oct. 3
Game 1: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 5
Game 2: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Wednesday, Oct. 8
Game 3: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Oct. 10
Game 4: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 12
Game 5*: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Wednesday, Oct. 15
Game 6*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Oct. 17
Game 7*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* If necessary
- Dream defense stifles Fever in Game 1 opener
- Stewart scores 18, hurts knee in overtime of Liberty's Game 1 win
- After season of adversity, can Liberty put together another title run?
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