One burning query for every WNBA playoff sequence

The eight groups advancing to the WNBA playoffs have been clear for some time, however it took till the ultimate seconds of regular-season motion to find out the seeding. 

A late-game comeback from the Golden State Valkyries towards the Los Angeles Sparks noticed them soar the Las Vegas Aces for the second seed and eventually full the playoff image late Thursday night time. 

A primary spherical that includes a face-off between the league’s projected top-three MVP finalists, A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, is complemented by a Lynx-Liberty matchup that may pit rising star Olivia Miles towards long-time nice Breanna Stewart. 

In 2026, competitors throughout the league tightened up after the addition of two growth franchises however nonetheless simply eight playoff spots. The prime golf equipment are so carefully matched this season that lots of the first-round sequence could possibly be finals calibre. 

With prime competitors lined up early and a lot parity throughout the seeding, we’re asking one burning query of every sequence: 

No. 1 Lynx vs. No. 8 Liberty
Is Olivia Miles good to go?

Rookie powerhouse Olivia Miles sat out of the Minnesota Lynx’s remaining two video games with a left-calf harm. The choice to relaxation her has been described as precautionary, however with the impression the 2026 second-overall decide has had on this crew, Miles should be in prime type for his or her playoff run. 

Against all odds, the Lynx have been surprisingly dominant this season. Despite shedding 4 gamers in free company and two within the growth draft, to not point out Napheesa Collier’s late begin to the season, the adversity hasn’t phased them. Instead, Miles stepped up. The 23-year-old from TCU averaged 19.8 factors and 6 assists in 31 minutes per sport this 12 months. Not solely has she turn out to be the de facto face of this crew, however she’s additionally the ground common via whom they run the offence. 

However, the 33-11 Lynx have began to lose their consistency later within the season. Before the FIBA World Cup break, they misplaced consecutive video games to playoff groups (Golden State and Atlanta), and of their final eight video games towards playoff groups since August 15, they’re 4-4. 

On the opposite facet, the New York Liberty, regardless of a 26-18 document, have confirmed they’ll take care of this group. On Sept. 18, the primary sport again after the break, New York, led by FIBA World Cup MVP Stewart, made noise with a 91-83 victory over the No. 1 seed. The Liberty pulled forward with 23 factors to the Lynx’s 12 within the remaining eight minutes, proving that even towards the hardest opponents, the skilled playoff group is aware of learn how to win. 

The Liberty haven’t missed the playoffs since 2020, and went dwelling champions in 2024 with a roster similar to their present one. New York will lean on that have whereas the Lynx flip to Miles, who’s but to lace up within the playoffs. This sequence will probably be decided by Miles’ well being and whether or not or not the Liberty can outperform their regular-season selves to turn out to be the primary crew to get rid of a prime seed within the first spherical. 

No. 2 Valkyries vs. No. 7 Wings
Will the Valkyries’ defence steal the present?

Paige Bueckers is an enormous star whose expertise in faculty affirms her means to win championships, but the Golden State Valkyries have a much bigger asset: defence. 

The Valkyries are some of the distinctive groups within the league. Headed to the playoffs for the second time in simply their second season within the league, this group is constructed round combating tougher and being stronger than any singular star they could face. 

Golden State might not have the league’s prime scorers — the truth is, their prime point-getter is Gabby Williams, who ranks thirty second within the league with a mean of 14.4 factors per sport — however they do have defence. With 74 blocks from Kiah Stokes and the most effective defensive score within the league at 99.3, the Valkyries are the toughest group to attain towards. 

The Wings haven’t made the playoffs since 2023, and with out Azzi Fudd’s automated taking pictures, anticipate this 12 months’s run to be short-lived. 

No. 3 Aces vs. No. 6 Fever
Are the Aces actually in management?

The Las Vegas Aces should be a favorite in 2026. With three championships within the final 4 years, Wilson is main a dynasty. But if there’s one crew with the expertise to cease the invincible Aces, it may be this 12 months’s Indiana Fever. 

Mitchell and Clark have mastered the power to play off each other. These two prime scorers mix to contribute a mean of 47.0 factors per sport, and the one participant in a position to match every of their particular person outputs is Wilson, who’s averaging 26.2. 

The Fever should discover a technique to win a championship now, earlier than the brand new cap state of affairs will get in the way in which and threatens their means to safe prime expertise. With Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Clark eligible to take up about half of the cap house — the brand new CBA permits max contracts for gamers coming off rookie-scale offers who’ve earned All-WNBA honours — as quickly as subsequent season, it should simply get tougher for Indiana to maintain or construct a powerful contending group round this trio. 

The Fever and Aces are getting used to assembly within the playoffs. Even with out Clark final 12 months, the Fever and Aces wanted all 5 video games, plus some additional time, to find out a winner within the semifinals. Although the Aces edged forward within the additional minutes of Game 5 with a 107-98 victory, the addition of Clark on this 12 months’s post-season makes a repeat sequence win much less sure. 

No. 4 Dream vs. No. 5 Mystics
Can Alisha Gray and Rhyne Howard keep scorching?

The Atlanta Dream haven’t received a playoff spherical since 2016. Sure, they’ve competed within the post-season 4 occasions since then, however advancing has been a problem. 

The Washington Mystics are additionally new to an prolonged season. After final making the playoffs in 2023, the franchise has undergone a large rebuild, and now solely has one participant with current playoff expertise — Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who they acquired off waivers this 12 months. 

With little playoff know-how to lean on, then, Atlanta and Washington will flip to what they know. And for the Dream, that will probably be distinctive taking pictures. 

On common, the Dream have tried eight extra threes per sport than the Mystics, with a lot of these pictures coming from Gray and Howard. Together, they mix for a mean of 36.7 factors and 4.9 threes made per sport. Add in Angel Reese’s 16.5 factors, and the Dream offence appears to be like to be in a great spot. 

However, the concern continues to be a repeat of final 12 months’s early playoff exit. In 2025, the Dream gave up a late lead in Game 3 of Round 1 towards the Fever as a result of their pictures stopped dropping. And, a pair occasions this season, they’ve fallen into the same lull. Howard and Gray want to remain scorching if the Dream are to advance. If not, the Mystics and their younger core of Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin will probably be able to take benefit.