The 2024 WNBA regular season is winding down to the final two weeks, and the most of the eight playoff slots have already been claimed. The Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury joined the party on Tuesday, which means just one playoff berth remains. No teams have officially been eliminated yet, but it’s essentially a four-team race for the final seed.
There were four games on Tuesday night, and the action started with the Storm picking up a crucial win over the Sun, while the Mystics continued their stunning turnaround by beating the Wings. Later on, the Aces cruised past the Sky, and the Mercury defeated the Dream.
As a refresher, the top eight teams, regardless of conference affiliation, make the playoffs in the WNBA. Under the current playoff format, the teams are placed into a standard bracket with the No. 1 seed playing No. 8 in the first round, No. 2 vs. No. 7 and so on. Teams will play a best-of-three series in the first round and best-of-five series in the semifinals and finals. Notably, the first round is a 2-1 format, which means the higher seed gets the first two games at home, while the lower seed gets the deciding Game 3 at home should the series go that far. In the semifinals and finals, it is a standard 2-2-1 format, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2 and 5, if necessary.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current playoff picture, including the standings and key tiebreakers:
Standings
- New York Liberty (27-6) — Playoff spot clinched
- Connecticut Sun (24-9) — Playoff spot clinched
- Minnesota Lynx (24-9) — Playoff spot clinched
- Las Vegas Aces (21-12) — Playoff spot clinched
- Seattle Storm (20-13) — Playoff spot clinched
- Indiana Fever (17-16) — Playoff spot clinched
- Phoenix Mercury (17-17) — Playoff spot clinched
- Chicago Sky (11-22)
- Atlanta Dream (11-22)
- Washington Mystics (10-23)
- Dallas Wings (9-24)
- Los Angeles Sparks (7-25)
Note: Two-team ties are decided first by head-to-head record and then, if necessary, better record against .500+ teams. Ties between more than two teams are determined by combined head-to-head record against the other teams.
Liberty alone at the top
1. New York Liberty (27-6)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Lynx (1-1); vs. Sun (3-1)
All is well again for the Liberty, who used a big second half to pull away from the Storm and get back in the win column on Friday. They remain three games ahead of the Sun and Lynx, and own the tiebreaker against the former. With just seven games remaining, it would take a major collapse for the Liberty to miss out on the No. 1 seed.
Key remaining games: vs. Lynx, Sept. 15
Sun and Lynx locked in duel for second
2. Connecticut Sun (24-9)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Liberty (1-3); vs. Lynx (2-0); vs. Storm (1-2); vs. Aces (0-1)
The Sun were defeated by the Storm on Tuesday in the second consecutive game between those teams. As a result, they now have the exact same record as the Lynx, and are only in second due to the tiebreaker. The Sept. 17 meeting looms as a potential decider in the race for the No. 2 seed.
Key remaining games: vs. Aces, Sept. 6; at Aces, Sept. 15; vs. Lynx, Sept. 17
3. Minnesota Lynx (24-9)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Liberty (1-1); vs. Sun (0-2); vs. Storm (3-1); vs. Aces (3-1)
The Lynx’s seven-game winning streak came to an end on Friday with a surprise defeat to the Wings, who are suddenly playing terrific basketball. They were able to bounce back and defeat the Sky on Sunday despite Alanna Smith’s absence, and now have the same record as the Sun.
Key remaining games: at Liberty, Sept. 15; at Sun, Sept. 17
Aces and Storm fighting over fourth
4. Las Vegas Aces (21-12)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Sun (1-0); vs. Lynx (1-3); vs. Storm (2-1)
A’ja Wilson continues to excel for the Aces. In her latest stellar outing, she put up 30 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks on 10-of-19 shooting. The Aces have quietly won three games in a row, and have a full game lead on the Storm in the battle for fourth.
Key remaining games: at Sun, Sept. 6; at Liberty, Sept. 8; vs. Sun, Sept. 15; at Storm, Sept. 17
5. Seattle Storm (20-13)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Sun (2-0); vs. Lynx (1-3); vs. Aces (1-2)
The Storm picked up one of their biggest wins of the season on Tuesday night when they came back to beat the Sun. They’ve been scuffling since play resumed after the Olympics, but are still within striking distance of the Aces, with one game remaining between them.
Key remaining games: at Liberty, Sept. 5; vs. Aces, Sept. 17
Surging Fever solidify hold on sixth
6. Indiana Fever (17-16)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Mercury (3-0); vs. Sky (3-1); vs. Dream (3-0)
The Fever officially clinched their first playoff appearance since 2016 on Tuesday night with losses by the Sky and Dream. They are now half a game up on the Mercury, and own the tiebreaker between them, so they should be favored to earn the No. 6 seed.
Key remaining games: vs. Dream, Sept. 8
7. Phoenix Mercury (17-17)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Fever (0-3); vs. Sky (2-0)
The Mercury returned to winning ways on Tuesday by holding off Rhyne Howard and the Dream down the stretch to end their three-game losing streak. With their victory, the Mercury moved back to .500 on the season and clinched a playoff spot.
Key remaining games: N/A
Sky, Dream, Mystics, Wings battling for final spot
8. Chicago Sky (11-22)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Dream (2-1); vs. Mystics (1-2); vs. Wings (2-1)
Chennedy Carter remains in the league’s health and safety protocols, and the Sky look woeful without her and Marina Mabrey. They were beaten on Tuesday by the Mercury to run their losing streak to seven games. They are now clinging to the final playoff spot via a tiebreaker over the Dream. As of now, it’s hard to see them hanging on.
Key remaining games: vs. Mystics, Sept. 11; vs. Mercury, Sept. 15; at Dream, Sept. 17
9. Atlanta Dream (11-22)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (1-2); vs. Mystics (1-1); vs. Wings (1-1)
The Sky are practically begging the Dream to overtake them for the eighth and final playoff spot, but Atlanta hasn’t been able to do so. On Tuesday, the Dream lost to the Mercury and are now 1-5 in their last six games. They remain in ninth place via the tiebreaker with the Sky, and are now only one game up on the surging Mystics.
Key remaining games: at Fever, Sept. 8; vs. Mystics, Sept. 13; at Mystics, Sept. 15; vs. Sky, Sept. 17
10. Washington Mystics (10-23)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (2-1); vs. Dream (1-1); vs. Wings (3-0)
The Mystics’ three-game winning streak came to an end Saturday against the Sun, but they bounced right back and beat the Wings on the road. Winners of four of five, they are suddenly just one game back of the Sky and Dream, with three combined games remaining against those clubs. It is now a real possibility that they make the playoffs despite starting the season 0-12.
Key remaining games: at Sky, Sept. 11; at Dream, Sept. 13; vs. Dream, Sept. 15
11. Dallas Wings (9-24)
- Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (1-2); vs. Dream (1-1); vs. Mystics (0-3)
The Wings fell at home to the Mystics on Tuesday in a loss that dealt a major blow to their playoff chances. They remain just two games back of eighth place, but would have to jump three teams in order to get there. That will be hard to accomplish with seven games remaining.
Key remaining games: vs Mystics, Sept. 3; at Dream, Sept. 6, at Sky, Sept. 8
A clear gap at the bottom
12. Los Angeles Sparks (7-25)
The Sparks lost to the Dream on Sunday, which means they still have not won back-to-back games since early June. They remain in last place, and soon it will be back to the lottery for a fourth time in a row, the longest such streak in franchise history.
