WNBA Playoff Picture 2025, Bracket, Early Odds and Bold Predictions

The final four games of the 2025 WNBA regular season were played on Thursday, meaning it's officially time to turn the page to the postseason.

While the playoff field was set back on Tuesday, when the Seattle Storm secured the final berth, some seeding needed to be sorted out. The Minnesota Lynx had already locked up the No. 1 seed, and the No. 4/No. 5 matchup between the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty was set. However, the rest of the field had to wait for Thursday to unfold.

The Lynx took care of the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, 72-53. The Valkyries' loss dropped Golden State to the No. 8 seed while moving the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm into the sixth and seventh spots, respectively.

The Las Vegas Aces ended the night, and the regular season, with a 103-75 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. That victory cemented Las Vegas as the No. 2 seed via tiebreakers over the Atlanta Dream.

2025 WNBA First-Round Game 1 Schedule

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Natisha Hiedeman of the Minnesota Lynx drives the lane against Cecilia Zandalasini of the Golden State Valkyries on September 11, 2025

Sunday, September 14

Golden State Valkyries at Minnesota Lynx

When: 1 p.m. ET

Line, Over/Under: MIN -12.5, 150

TV: ESPN

Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream

When: 3 p.m. ET

Line, Over/Under: ATL -7.5, 159.5

TV: ABC

New York Liberty at Phoenix Mercury

When: 5 p.m. ET

Line, Over/Under: NY -2, 163.5

TV: ESPN

Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces

When: 10 p.m. ET

Line, Over/Under: LV -7, 158.5

TV: ESPN

Updated Title Odds

Kavin Mistry/Getty Images

Minnesota Lynx G Courtney Williams

Minnesota Lynx +115 (bet $100 to win $115)

New York Liberty +330

Las Vegas Aces +350

Atlanta Dream +1000

Phoenix Mercury +1500

Seattle Storm +4500

Golden State Valkyries +10000

Indiana Fever +15000

*Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Playoff Preview and Predictions

Ian Maule/Getty Images

Aces C A'ja Wilson

As previously noted, the Lynx are already locked into the No. 1 seed. Unsurprisingly, Minnesota is also considered a heavy favorite. The Napheesa Collier-led squad was last year's runner-up and has looked like the team to beat all year.

What might be more surprising is just how high the Vegas oddsmakers appear to be on the Liberty.

The Liberty are, of course, the defending champions. Led by Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart, New York has one of the most talented rosters in the league. It simply hasn't had much luck in the health department this season, with one to star missing just about every game.

However, New York is confident that it can do something no other WNBA team has ever done and win a championship out of the No. 5 seed.

"We kind of get a fresh start in the playoffs, like everyone is 0-0," Ionescu said, per Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. "What you did in the regular season, the adversity that you faced can only make you stronger."

New York is probably the only low seed that has a realistic chance of pushing for a championship this year—though the new 1-1-1 format makes it a bit easier for lower seeds to advance.

The Indiana Fever might also have a shot if they hadn't lost star Caitlin Clark to a season-ending groin injury. Clark's absence, understandably, makes Indiana an extreme long shot.

The prediction here is that New York does indeed reach the semifinal round—as the only bottom-four team to do so—but falls short against Minnesota.

Of course, the biggest overall threat to the Lynx is probably Las Vegas. Thursday's win increased the Aces' winning streak to 16 games. According to ESPN, the three previous WNBA teams that have held a regular-season winning streak of 15 or more games have gone on to win the championship.

The prediction here is that Las Vegas joins that group, meets the Lynx in the WNBA Finals and outlasts the favorites in the new best-of-seven format.

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