We are getting to the end of the WNBA season, which means the playoff picture is somehow getting clearer and more confusing at the same time. With so much parity in the league, it's hard to tell what the next month will hold. Let's take a look at where the 13 teams in the WNBA are currently:
1. Minnesota Lynx (32-8) X
The Minnesota Lynx have clinched their spot atop the WNBA standings, even if they've secured their spot atop our standings for a while. They will go into the playoffs with the ideal placement, with home court advantage all the way to the Finals (if they make it that far). While it doesn't really matter if they win or lose from here on out, no one wants to lose. They'll likely rest some players in preparation for the playoffs, just to make sure everyone is fresh for the postseason. The Lynx had this goal set at the beginning of the season, and they've executed perfectly.
2. Las Vegas Aces (26-14) X
Not sure if you could call the Aces underdogs, but they've come from behind to rest comfortably behind the Lynx. Inevitable is the word to best describe this team, and it's not surprising that they've turned their year around. They also have a pretty easy schedule for their last few games, playing Minnesota before seeing Chicago twice and ending their season against Los Angeles. They could clinch the No. 2 seed after being as low as No. 8 earlier on in the year.
3. Atlanta Dream (26-14) X
When you compare the season Atlanta is having in 2025 with the year they had in 2024, it's an astounding improvement. Yet, they won't be satisfied until they win a championship. After a bit of skepticism at the beginning of the season towards Karl Smesko transferring his coaching skills from college to the WNBA, it's clear that he has had no trouble transitioning. He has a balanced and deep roster that he can deploy at his own speed, and they've proven to be able to win big games. They'd love to secure the No. 2 seed over Vegas, which isn't impossible yet. Expect big things from this team in the post season.
4. Phoenix Mercury (25-14) X
The latest team to clinch their spot in the postseason is the Phoenix Mercury, and a huge part of that is because of Alyssa Thomas, who was just named the Western Conference Player of the Week. Thomas is in the running for an MVP award, which would be her first, and the Mercury have the potential to make a deep playoff run as well. They are on the brink of having home court advantage for the first round, though, something they will fight to keep through the last week and a half of the regular season.
5. New York Liberty (24-16)
Oh, how the Liberty have fallen. Once the top team in the league, injuries have caused the Liberty to fall out of the top four and into the abyss of the middle of the standings. They have potential to climb again, but their window of opportunity is shrinking as the number of games left in the season dwindles. That's not to say they still can't make a run for a back-to-back championship, but they aren't making it easier on themselves. They will need a strong finish to the season, and for their injury luck to improve, for things to look optimal for them in the postseason.
6. Golden State Valkyries (21-18)
The Valkyries are becoming the success story of the year, and putting the pressure on the five expansion teams in Toronto, Portland, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia that will come behind them. They've set a standard for expansion, and their success will be documented and replicated (or at least attempt to be replicated) by other teams. They are looking like a team that will make the playoffs, and to do so in their first franchise year would be a ton of fun. Ballhalla in the postseason is going to be hard to miss.
7. Indiana Fever (21-19)
Another team with unfortunate injury woes, the Indiana Fever are risking missing the playoffs all together these days. It does not look like Caitlin Clark is any closer to returning to the court after playing her last game on July 15 and being out ever since with two separate injuries. The groin strain was what initially kept her out, and then she suffered a bone bruise in her ankle in early August. That plus the injuries to Aari McDonald, Syd Colson, and Sophie Cunningham have caused the Fever to slip from a comfortable playoff spot. With game against Phoenix, Chicago, Washington and Minnesota left, it's hard to predict where their season will end.
8. Seattle Storm (22-20)
Indiana's playoff hopes lie a little bit in the hands of the Seattle Storm, and well, them being bad. Seattle has somehow lost most of their tiebreak advantages, and with their wishy-washy play over the past month, it's hard to tell when it will win or lose. They could very well miss the playoffs, which is wild considering the talent on this roster and their potential on paper. They are one of the best teams talent-wise, and not making a playoff experience would be concerning.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (19-20)
Another team that definitely wants to take advantage of Seattle not living up to its expectations is Los Angeles. On the brink of the playoffs (no pun intended), the Sparks are hoping the cards fall in their favor and make it so that they can slide into the playoffs. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games, depicting a pretty middle of the pack season for them. The upside to them no making the playoffs would be a lottery pick in a good draft class for 2026, so it's not all bad for them if they are not able to get the job done.
10. Washington Mystics (16-25) O
It was expected that the Mystics would soon be eliminated from playoff contention, and now it's happened. Not the worst for them, a team that was clearly in a rebuild year. They now look ahead to the 2026 lottery, hopefully drafting a player that will pair nicely with their young core of Shakira Auston, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore.
11. Connecticut Sun (10-30) O
The Sun have been showing off their future potential lately, giving some top teams a hard time and not backing down just because they are out of the playoff picture. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games, winning 50% of their games for the whole season in the last 10 games.
12. Chicago Sky (9-30) O
The outlook for Chicago remains the same ... rough season, and their pick belongs to Minnesota. It's hard to find upside, but they will have to figure out how to move forward once this season is over.
13. Dallas Wings (9-32) O
The Dallas Wings got some good news this week: they now have the best odds to get the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, nearly 40%. Could a UConn reunion between Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd be in the future for them?