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WNBA playoffs bracket: Final standings, seeds, matchups, first round schedule

james h. williams, usa today
·3 min read

This story was updated to add new information.

The WNBA postseason field is finalized after the conclusion of the regular season Thursday.

A'ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces are back in the playoffs along with seven other teams.

Three teams were battling for the eighth and final playoff spot Thursday. The Atlanta Dream earned the final playoff bid with a 78-67 victory over the New York Liberty.

The Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics fell short of a playoff bid after participating in the playoffs last season. The Seattle Storm, Indiana Fever and the Phoenix Mercury earned a postseason bid after not qualifying in 2023.

Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston will make their postseason debuts on Sunday.

Playoff bound: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever face Connecticut Sun in first round

Here's who is in the playoffs and the first-round matchups:

WNBA playoffs bracket

First round matchups

  • No. 8 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 1 New York Liberty

  • No. 7 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 2 Minnesota Lynx

  • No. 6 Indiana Fever vs. No. 3 Connecticut Sun

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Las Vegas Aces

2024 WNBA postseason schedule:

All times Eastern

Sunday:

  • Game 1: Atlanta at New York (1 p.m., ESPN)

  • Game 1: Indiana at Connecticut (3 p.m., ABC)

  • Game 1: Phoenix at Minnesota (5 p.m., ESPN)

  • Game 1: Seattle at Las Vegas (10 p.m., ESPN)

Tuesday:

  • Game 2: Atlanta at New York (7:30 p.m., ESPN)

  • Game 2: Seattle at Las Vegas (9:30 p.m., ESPN)

Wednesday:

  • Game 2: Indiana at Connecticut (7:30 p.m., ESPN)

  • Game 2: Phoenix at Minnesota (9:30 p.m., ESPN)

Thursday

  • Game 3*: New York at Atlanta (TBD, ESPN 2)

  • Game 3*: Las Vegas at Seattle (TBD, ESPN 2)

Friday, Sept. 27:

  • Game 3*: Connecticut at Indiana (TBD, ESPN 2)

  • Game 3*: Minnesota at Phoenix (TBD, ESPN 2)

(* - If necessary)

Final standings, seeds:

No. 1 New York Liberty

Breanna Stewart has led the Liberty to the league's top seed. After losing in the Finals last season, the question remains whether this is the year they will claim the title as their own.

No. 2 Minnesota Lynx

Longtime coach Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx are back for another playoff run after they were quickly eliminated by the Sun last year in the first round. The Lynx have not made it to the Finals since winning it all in 2017.

No. 3 Connecticut Sun

The Sun will make their eighth consecutive playoff appearance but are still in search of their first title. The team reached the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022 but fell short.

No. 4 Las Vegas Aces

A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and the Aces have won the last two WNBA Finals and will compete for a chance at the three-peat under the guidance of coach Becky Hammon.

No. 5 Seattle Storm

Seattle has returned to the playoffs after missing out in 2023. The Storm were consistently in the playoffs from 2016-21, winning the title in 2018 and 2020.

No. 6 Indiana Fever

Rookie Caitlin Clark will make her postseason debut this weekend with the Fever. Fellow former top pick Aliyah Boston also makes her playoffs debut. The 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year award winner missed the playoffs last season.

No. 7 Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi and the Mercury are back in the playoffs after losing in the first round in 2022 and completely missing the postseason in 2023. This marks Brittney Griner's first postseason appearance since returning to the team following her detainment in Russia.

No. 8 Atlanta Dream

The Dream reached the playoffs for the second consecutive year with Tanisha Wright at the helm. Prior to Wright's arrival, the Dream went four seasons without a playoff appearance.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA playoffs bracket: What are the first round matchups?