The New York Liberty are in the driver’s seat for the WNBA playoffs, having officially clinched a playoff spot and well-positioned in first place. But things could get very interesting in the rest of August and September.
Eight teams make the postseason. Finishing in the top four means a chance to host a best-of-three first-round playoff series. Right now, those four spots look to be decided by five teams: New York, the Connecticut Sun, the Minnesota Lynx, the Seattle Storm and the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
The Liberty, one of the WNBA’s original franchises, are still seeking their first WNBA title. New York fell in the WNBA Finals last season to the Aces, but so far in 2024 the Liberty have been the league’s most consistent team.
Meanwhile, another story to watch is the Indiana Fever, who haven’t been to the playoffs since 2016. With back-to-back No.1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark the past two seasons, the Fever are, as of now in playoff position.
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Kennedy Burke’s late bucket pads Liberty’s lead over Wings
Courtney Vandersloot finds Kennedy Burke, who is left wide open on the back cut and scores late in the fourth quarter for the Liberty.
Key remaining dates
Sept. 19: Regular season ends
Sept. 22: Playoffs begin
Oct. 20: Last possible finals date
The WNBA playoff predictor
The ESPN Analytics team breaks down playoff probability updated in real time. The top eight teams make the playoffs — a best-of-three series in the first round, where teams are seeded based on regular-season performance, and a best-of-five format for the semifinals and finals. Updated nightly:
WNBA’s top five players by WPA
How much does a single player mean to the team? Win Probability Added (WPA) captures how much probability goes up or down when a player is on the court and gives them approximate credit. Here we break down the league’s best in the category. Updated after games:
WNBA’s top five rookies by WPA
The 2024 rookie class is worthy of its own breakdown. Win Probability Added (WPA) captures how much probability goes up or down when a player is on the court and gives them approximate credit. These rookies have not only impacted their teams, but the league. Updated after games:
Worth taking a look
• WNBA Power Rankings: Liberty unseat Aces as WNBA favorite
• 25 reasons to read: Our midseason edition of top 25 player rankings.
• The matchups: These games will determine the 2024 WNBA playoff race.
• What’s next for WNBA? A’ja Wilson and the Aces, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese.
• WNBA predictions time: 10 things that will happen in the second half.
• Rookie tracker: Caitlin Clark. Angel Reese. We’re tracking the rookies.
