WNBA Playoffs 2024: Schedule, Format, Bracket, Rounds, Past Winners and How It Works

The New York Liberty have been dominating the W all season, but the Las Vegas Aces, led by two-time defending champion A'Ja Wilson, have been gaining momentum as they head towards another title. Wilson is poised to win her third MVP award, making the Aces a formidable threat to take it all. However, the Indiana Fever, powered by rising star Caitlin Clark, have been quietly finding their groove and finished the season strong with an impressive 11-5 record down the stretch. They could be the dark horse to surprise everyone in the playoffs.

If you've got questions about the WNBA playoffs, we have answers.

When do the WNBA playoffs begin?

The WNBA Playoffs tip-off with four first-round games on Sunday, Sept. 22, and the best-of-three first round continues until Sept. 27. The WNBA semi-finals — a best-of-five series — will start a week after the first round, on Sunday, Sept. 29, and will run through Oct. 8

The WNBA Finals will start on Oct. 10 and is a best-of-five series, that can run until Oct. 20.

What is the format of the WNBA playoffs?

The eight teams with the best records of the 12 WNBA teams make the playoffs, and they are seeded into a standard tournament bracket based on where they finished (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5). The first round is a best-of-three series, followed by a best-of-five semi-finals and finals.

Which WNBA teams will be in the playoffs?

The eight teams that made the WNBA playoffs are (in seeding order):

1. New York Liberty (32-8)
2. Minnesota Lynx (30-10)
3. Connecticut Sun (28-12)
4. Las Vegas Aces (27-13)
5. Seattle Storm (25-15)
6. Indiana Fever (20-20)
7. Phoenix Mercury (19-21)
8. Atlanta Dream (15-25)

All seeds and playoff spots are locked

Take a look at the official bracket for the 2024 #WNBAPlayoffs presented by @Google ⬇️

First Round begins Sunday September 22nd at 1pm/ET on ESPN#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/QWsC3NF7qj

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2024

The playoff matchups for the first round are:

Atlanta vs. New York
Phoenix vs. Minnesota
Indiana vs. Connecticut
Seattle vs. Las Vegas

Which team won the 2023 WNBA championship?

The Las Vegas Aces repeated as champions when they knocked off the New York Liberty in four games to take the 2023 WNBA title. inals MVP A'Ja Wilson led the Aces averaging 21.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a game, while anchoring the team's defense. Guard Kelsey Plum also averaged 21.3 points a game.

In 2022, the Aces beat the Connecticut Sun in four games to take the WNBA crown. Chelsey Gray was named Finals MVP after averaging 18.3 points and 6 assists a game for Las Vegas, while Wilson was again dominant averaging 20 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game.

Has a team ever won three straight WNBA championships?

Yes. In the first four years of the WNBA's existence — 1997 to 2000 — Houston Comets won the title each year behind four-time Finals MVP and WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper. They beat the New York Liberty in three of those four seasons, and the Phoenix Mercury once.

The Los Angeles Sparks won two WNBA titles in a row in 2001 and 2002, but the Detroit Shock and Ruth Riley kept them from a three-peat in 2003. The Minnesota Lynx won four titles between 2011 and 2017, winning one every other year, but they never repeated as champions. They would have three-peated if the Lynx had not lost to Tamika Catchings and the Indiana Fever in the 2012 Finals.

Has a No. 1 pick ever won the WNBA championship in their first season?

Yes, twice.

In the first year of the WNBA's existence, Tina Thompson was the No. 1 pick of the Houston Comets and the team went on to win the inaugural WNBA title (and the next three after that). In what was a one-game, winner-take-all Finals against New York, Thompson scored 18 points and had 6 rebounds for the Comets.

Maya Moore was the 2011 No. 1 pick of the Minnesota Lynx out of NCAA powerhouse UConn, and that season the Lynx went on to sweep the Atlanta Dream out of the WNBA Finals. Moore started all three games and averaged 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds a game for the Lynx, however she was not yet their best player (2006 No. 1 pick Seimone Augustus won the Finals MVP award averaging 24.7 points per game).

There was an interesting situation in 2007 when the Phoenix Mercury used the No. 1 pick on Lindsey Harding out of Duke, but then on draft night traded her to Minnesota for Tangela Smith. The Mercury went on to win the Finals and Smith started all five games of that series averaging 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds a night.

When does Caitlin Clark play in the WNBA playoffs?

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever begin the WNBA playoffs on the road in Connecticut on Sunday (Sept. 22) at 3 p.m. (the game is on ABC). Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Wednesday (Sept. 25) at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN). Game 3, if necessary, is in Indiana on Sept. 27, with the time TBD.

WNBA Playoffs schedule 2024

Here is the full schedule for the first round of the WNBA Playoffs (all times are Eastern):

Sunday, September 22 (Game 1)
1 p.m.: Atlanta Dream at New York Liberty (ESPN)
3 p.m.: Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun (ABC)
5 p.m.: Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx (ESPN)
10 p.m.: Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces (ESPN)

Tuesday, September 24 (Game 2)
7:30 p.m.: Atlanta Dream at New York Liberty (ESPN)
9:30 p.m.: Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces (ESPN)

Wednesday, September 25 (Game 2)
7:30 p.m.: Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun (ESPN)
9:30 p.m.: Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx (ESPN)

Thursday, September 26 (Game 3, If Necessary)
TBD: New York Liberty at Atlanta Dream (ESPN2)
TBD: Las Vegas Aces at Seattle Storm (ESPN2)

Friday, September 27 (Game 3, If Necessary)
TBD: Connecticut Sun at Indiana Fever (ESPN2)
TBD: Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury (ESPN2)

Odds to win WNBA Finals 2024

The odds are courtesy of our partners at BetMGM.

"BetMGM experienced historic interest in the WNBA during the 2024 regular season with a 108% increase in betting year-over-year. Caitlin Clark establishing herself as a star player and veterans like Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson continuing to dominate fueled the impressive growth. Consistent interest in Clark props and Fever moneylines, and a significant number of bets on the Fever outright make Clark's influence on the league undeniable. We expect these trends to carry over into the postseason which is shaping up to be highly competitive and exciting." – Hannah Luther, Sports Trader, BetMGM

Championship Line movement (open to current)

Liberty +250 to +125

Aces +115 to +225

Highest Ticket%

Fever 46.8%

Liberty 12.7%

Aces 11.1%

Highest Handle% (most money bet)

Fever 61.7%

Liberty 16.7%

Aces 7.9%

WNBA Finals full winners list

1997 — Houston Comets
1998 — Houston Comets
1999 — Houston Comets
2000 — Houston Comets
2001 — Los Angeles Sparks
2002 — Los Angeles Sparks
2003 — Detroit Shock
2004 — Seattle Storm
2005 — Sacramento Monarchs
2006 — Detroit Shock
2007 — Phoenix Mercury
2008 — Detroit Shock
2009 — Phoenix Mercury
2010 — Seattle Storm
2011 — Minnesota Lynx
2012 — Indiana Fever
2013 — Minnesota Lynx
2014 — Phoenix Mercury
2015 — Minnesota Lynx
2016 — Los Angeles Sparks
2017 — Minnesota Lynx
2018 — Seattle Storm
2019 — Washington Mystics
2020 — Seattle Storm
2021 — Chicago Sky
2022 — Las Vegas Aces
2023 — Las Vegas Aces