Updated 2025 WNBA Playoff Bracket, Standings After Lynx Clinch Playoff Spot

The Minnesota Lynx became the first team to punch their ticket to the 2025 WNBA playoffs with the Indiana Fever's loss to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night.

It's likely only a matter of time before Minnesota wraps up the No. 1 seed as well. The Lynx own a 27-5 overall record, 6.5 games better than the New York Liberty in second.

Here's a look at the top eight in the league and the teams sitting on the postseason bubble:

2025 WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx, 27-5

2. New York Liberty, 20-11 (6.5 GB)

3. Atlanta Dream, 20-11 (6.5 GB)

4. Phoenix Mercury, 19-12 (7.5 GB)

5. Las Vegas Aces, 18-14 (9 GB)

6. Indiana Fever, 18-15 (9.5 GB)

7. Golden State Valkyries, 16-15 (10.5 GB)

8. Seattle Storm, 16-16 (11 GB)

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9. Los Angeles Sparks, 15-16 (11.5 GB)

10. Washington Mystics, 14-17 (12.5 GB)

11. Dallas Wings, 9-24 (18.5 GB)

12. Chicago Sky, 8-23 (18.5 GB)

13. Connecticut Sun, 5-26 (21.5 GB)

The Lynx came up just short in the 2024 WNBA Finals, losing to the Liberty in five games, and they didn't hide their frustration with the officiating in the series-clinching Game 5.

Minnesota is clearly looking to atone for that heartbreak based on how it has performed this year.

Cheryl Reeve's squad reeled off nine straight wins to open the campaign and hasn't let up much since that winning streak ended. The Lynx are first in net rating, and that's more than double the next-closest team, per WNBA.com. Their consistency has been a marked contrast from every other contender. Even the Liberty have struggled thanks to Jonquel Jones' ankle injury.

Nobody has set the tone for Minnesota more than Napheesa Collier.

The Liberty's Breanna Stewart and Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson in recent years have dominated the conversation around the WNBA's best player. Collier was often left on the outside looking in during those conversations.

At least for 2025, the five-time All-Star has moved well past Stewart and Wilson. She's averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. She's shooting a career-best 53.7 percent from the field while once again playing elite defense.

Reeve told ESPN's Kendra Andrews in July she has noticed a slightly more motivated version of Collier after not only finishing runner-up in the WNBA Finals but also being second to Wilson in the MVP voting.

"That was the switch for her ... she came into this season with a chip on her shoulder, appropriately backing up the words of, 'Yeah, I'm a sore loser because I want to win,'" Reeve said. "She came in with that, and I was so giddy."

Beyond Collier, the Lynx have deepest roster in the WNBA. Courtney Williams was an All-Star reserve, and Kayla McBride was an injury replacement for the Atlanta Dream's Rhyne Howard. Alanna Smith merited consideration, too, as critical piece in the Lynx frontcourt. Jessica Shepard has had four double-doubles off the bench. DiJonai Carrington, the reigning Most Improved Player, arrived ahead of the trade deadline.

A title conquest isn't a fait accompli for Minnesota. A lot can happen in a playoff series, especially in a best-of-three and best-of-five format, which the WNBA uses for the first two rounds.

But there's no doubting the Lynx's status as the top dog as long as their stars stay healthy.