The primary spherical of the 2025 WNBA playoffs continued on Wednesday evening, because the Phoenix Mercury staved off elimination with a convincing 86-60 highway win over the New York Liberty to power a Recreation 3 on Friday. In the meantime, the Golden State Valkyries fought valiantly in an try to safe their first playoff win in franchise historical past, however they finally fell quick towards the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, dropping 75-74. Golden State’s historic season involves an finish, whereas the Lynx advance to the semifinals, the place they await the winner of Friday’s Recreation 3 showdown between the Mercury and Liberty.
The Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever stored their seasons alive with Recreation 2 residence wins on Tuesday evening. The Storm snapped the Las Vegas Aces’ 17-game successful streak with a comeback victory. The seventh-seeded Storm used a powerful fourth quarter to power a decisive Recreation 3, getting a mixed 50 factors from Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike.
The Fever, in the meantime, staved off elimination towards the Atlanta Dream. The Fever received at residence to maintain their injury-plagued season going, forcing a decisive Recreation 3 again in Atlanta on Thursday evening.
The most effective-of-three first spherical will wrap up on Friday or earlier, and the best-of-five semifinals will start on Sunday (Sept. 21).
The Lynx entered the playoffs because the No. 1 seed after being the WNBA’s most dominant workforce all through the 44-game common season. The Lynx, in search of the fifth championship in workforce historical past and their first since 2017, could have home-court benefit all through the playoffs.
Beneath is a have a look at the first-round matchups and the complete schedule for the 2025 playoffs.
WNBA playoff bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports activities
Listed below are the 4 first-round matchups and seeding:
- No. 1 Lynx vs. No. 8 Valkyries (Minnesota wins, 2-0)
- No. 2 Aces vs. No. 7 Storm (Sequence tied, 1-1)
- No. 3 Dream vs. No. 6 Fever (Sequence tied, 1-1)
- No. 4 Mercury vs. No. 5 Liberty (Sequence tied, 1-1)
Groups will play a best-of-three sequence within the first spherical, a best-of-five sequence within the semifinals, and — in a brand new change this yr — a best-of-seven affair within the Finals.
In 2024, the primary spherical had a 2-1 format, which meant the upper seed received the primary two video games at residence, whereas the decrease seed solely received to host in the event that they made it to Recreation 3. This yr it will likely be a 1-1-1 format, with Video games 1 and three hosted by the upper seed whereas the decrease seed hosts Recreation 2.
All video games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 are streaming on fubo (Strive without cost).
First-round schedule, scores (best-of-three)
All instances Jap
Sunday, Sept. 14
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Wednesday, Sept. 17
Thursday, Sept. 18
- Recreation 3: No. 6 Fever at No. 3 Dream, 7:30 p.m. — ESPN2/fubo
- Recreation 3: No. 7 Storm at No. 2 Aces, 9:30 p.m. — ESPN2/fubo
Friday, Sept. 19
- Recreation 3: No. 5 Liberty at No. 4 Mercury, TBD — ESPN2/fubo
Semifinals schedule (best-of-five)
Sunday, Sept. 21
Tuesday, Sept. 23
Friday, Sept. 26
Sunday, Sept. 28
Tuesday, Sept. 30
- *Recreation 5: TBD vs. TBD, TBD
- *Recreation 5: TBD vs. TBD, TBD
Finals schedule (best-of-seven)
Friday, Oct. 3
- Recreation 1, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Sunday, Oct. 5
- Recreation 2, 3 p.m. — ABC/fubo
Wednesday, Oct. 8
- Recreation 3, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Friday, Oct. 10
- Recreation 4, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Sunday, Oct. 12
- *Recreation 5, 3 p.m. — ABC/fubo
Wednesday, Oct. 15
- *Recreation 6, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Friday, Oct. 17
- *Recreation 7, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
* If obligatory
