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The 2026 WNBA first round concluded with major upsets, as the No. 8 New York Liberty swept the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, and the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Dallas Wings in a dramatic Game 3 comeback. The semifinals will feature the Liberty against the Atlanta Dream and the Aces against the Valkyries.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs saw two major upsets on Tuesday. The No. 8 New York Liberty swept the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, 87-71, in Game 2. Meanwhile, the No. 6 Indiana Fever avoided elimination by defeating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, 99-89, in Game 2, forcing a decisive Game 3.
The New York Liberty became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate the No. 1 seed in WNBA history by sweeping the Minnesota Lynx 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Jonquel Jones led the Liberty with 21 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2, securing an 87-71 victory. The Lynx, who finished the regular season with the best record, failed to overcome the Liberty’s size advantage, ending their season in the first round.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs delivered major upsets as the No. 8 New York Liberty swept the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, while Caitlin Clark led the No. 6 Indiana Fever to a crucial Game 2 win against the Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty’s historic victory marks the first time an eighth seed has eliminated a first seed since 2016. Meanwhile, Clark’s historic performance helped the Fever avoid elimination, setting up a decisive Game 3. The Lynx’s collapse highlights their defensive struggles, while the Aces face pressure to close out the series.
The New York Liberty became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate the No. 1 seed in WNBA history by sweeping the Minnesota Lynx 2-0 in the quarterfinals. After a rocky regular season, the Liberty advanced to the semifinals, defeating the league's best regular-season team in a series that many pundits predicted would go the other way.
The New York Liberty completed a historic 2-0 sweep of the Minnesota Lynx, becoming the first No. 8 seed to eliminate the No. 1 seed in the 30-year history of the WNBA. Despite finishing the regular season with the league's best record, the Lynx lost Game 2 by 16 points, ending their season in the quarterfinals. The Liberty, led by a dominant performance from Jonquel Jones, will advance to the semifinals to face the winner of the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics series. The result marks a significant upset, as the Lynx were unanimous favorites to win the championship prior to the playoffs.
The New York Liberty completed a historic 2-0 sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, becoming the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in WNBA history. The Liberty won Game 2 87-71, ending the Lynx season despite their 33-11 regular-season record.
Olivia Miles, the Minnesota Lynx point guard and unanimous Rookie of the Year winner, faces elimination in the WNBA playoffs after a poor Game 1 performance. Despite a historic regular season where she led the team to the top seed and broke multiple rookie records, the 23-year-old struggled against the New York Liberty's defensive pressure. The Lynx now must win Game 2 to advance, marking a steep learning curve for the star who has become a cultural icon in Minneapolis.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs begin on September 27 with a historically tight bracket, where the top eight teams are separated by only seven games. The first round features four best-of-three series, with the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, and Atlanta Dream holding home-court advantage. The quarterfinals start on October 4, and the best-of-seven finals begin on October 17, with the series potentially concluding on October 31. NBC and Peacock will broadcast multiple games, including the finals, while ESPN and USA Network cover select matchups. The league’s 30th season is marked by growth, new teams, and a focus on competitive depth, though it has also faced controversies and injury challenges.
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve used the post-game press conference after the regular season finale to reaffirm her support for the transgender community, marking the fourth time she has addressed the issue this season. The remarks followed competing protests outside Target Center, where 'Save Women's Sports' activists and trans rights advocates clashed. Reeve described the political focus on transgender athletes as an attack on their existence, emphasizing that her earlier gesture of wearing a 'Trans Kids Belong' shirt was a meaningful act of inclusion. The Minnesota Lynx finished the regular season with a league-best 33-11 record after defeating the Indiana Fever 86-66, while the Fever entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed.
The 2026 WNBA postseason is defined by unprecedented parity, with the top eight teams separated by only seven games. The Minnesota Lynx are the unanimous favorite to win the championship, but the Las Vegas Aces and Golden State Valkyries present strong challenges. First-round matchups include a rematch of the 2024 Finals between the Lynx and New York Liberty, and a star-studded clash between the Aces and Indiana Fever.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs feature the most compressed seeding gap in recent history, with the No. 1 and No. 8 seeds separated by just seven games. Despite this parity, experts from CBS Sports and The Guardian unanimously predict the Minnesota Lynx will win the championship. The Lynx, led by rookie Olivia Miles and coach Cheryl Reeve, are favored to overcome a deep field that includes the Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, and New York Liberty. First-round matchups include a rematch of the 2024 Finals between Minnesota and New York, and a high-profile clash between the Aces and Indiana Fever.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs feature a historically tight bracket where the top eight teams are separated by only seven games. Key matchups include the Lynx versus the Liberty, the Valkyries against the Wings, the Aces facing the Fever, and the Dream dueling the Mystics. While the Aces and Lynx are favored, defensive struggles and injury concerns could allow upsets in these best-of-three series.
The Indiana Fever suffered a 86-66 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx in their regular-season finale, resulting in Caitlin Clark recording a career-low 2 points on 1-of-12 shooting. Aliyah Boston exited with a right lower leg injury, and the loss dropped Indiana from the No. 5 to the No. 6 seed, setting up a potential first-round matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. Kelsey Mitchell broke the single-season three-point record despite the loss.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs open Sunday with a historically tight seeding gap. The Golden State Valkyries secured the No. 2 seed after a late comeback against the Los Angeles Sparks, setting a bracket where the top eight teams are separated by only seven games. The Minnesota Lynx hold the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the postseason, while the Las Vegas Aces aim for a fourth title in five years. The first round features four best-of-three series, with the Finals set to be a best-of-seven for the second time in league history.