WNBA playoffs

WNBA Playoffs logo

The WNBA Playoffs is an elimination tournament between 8 teams in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals.

Format

In the current format of the WNBA playoffs, the top eight teams in the regular season, regardless of conference, participate in a single-elimination tournament system. The eight teams are then seeded by their regular season records, with the higher seeded team (or the team with the better record) in a series given homecourt advantage.

Round One is a best-of-three series, played with a homecourt pattern of 2–1 (the higher seed hosts games 1 and 2, while the lower seed hosts game 3). The Semifinals and Finals are both best-of-five, played with a homecourt pattern of 2–2–1 (the higher seed hosts games 1, 2, and 5, while the lower seed hosts games 3 and 4).

Tiebreaker procedures

In case of ties, the following procedures are followed:

1. Better winning percentage among all head-to-head games involving tied teams.
2. Better winning percentage against all teams with a .500 or better record at the end of the season.
3. Better point differential in games involving tied teams.
4. Better point differential in all games.
5. Coin toss (or draw of lots, if at least 3 teams are still tied after the first 4 tiebreakers fail).

History

The playoff format has changed throughout the years ever since the league's establishment.

In the league's first two seasons, 1997 and 1998, only the top four teams overall advance to the playoffs, only consisting of two rounds. In 1997, only a single game was played in all matches. In 1998, each match became a best-of-three series. The homecourt pattern for best-of-three was 1–1–1.

As expansion began, the playoff format accommodated more teams. The format used in 1999 had six teams with the top three teams from each conference advancing to the playoffs, with the top seed of each conference getting a bye into the Conference Finals. The following season, it was expanded to eight teams with the top four teams from each conference advancing to the playoffs. In 2005, the WNBA Finals became a best-of-five series. Despite the departure of some teams later on, the format would stick until 2015.

In 2016, a new format was introduced, featuring a stepladder-like system. In this format, the first- and second-seeded teams start at the Semifinals, third and fourth start at the Second Round, and the remaining four begin at the First Round. The format also removed conference seeding, instead having the top eight teams overall advance. The First and Second Rounds only consist of a single game, with the winning team immediately advancing to the next round. The Semifinals and Finals are both best-of-five series. After each round, the lower surviving seed faces the higher seed in the next round, and the higher surviving seed faces the lower seed.

The current format was adopted in 2022.

Playoff series history

See also: List of WNBA playoff series

2023 season

	Round One: Best-of-3					Semifinals: Best-of-5					Finals: Best-of-5
	1	Las Vegas Aces	2
	8	Chicago Sky	0
						1	Las Vegas Aces	3
						4	Dallas Wings	0
	4	Dallas Wings	2
	5	Atlanta Dream	0
											1	Las Vegas Aces	3
											2	New York Liberty	1
	2	New York Liberty	2
	7	Washington Mystics	0
						2	New York Liberty	3
						3	Connecticut Sun	1
	3	Connecticut Sun	2
	6	Minnesota Lynx	1

Bold Series winner

2022 season

	Round One: Best-of-3					Semifinals: Best-of-5					Finals: Best-of-5
	1	Las Vegas Aces	2
	8	Phoenix Mercury	0
						1	Las Vegas Aces	3
						4	Seattle Storm	1
	4	Seattle Storm	2
	5	Washington Mystics	0
											1	Las Vegas Aces	3
											3	Connecticut Sun	1
	2	Chicago Sky	2
	7	New York Liberty	1
						2	Chicago Sky	2
						3	Connecticut Sun	3
	3	Connecticut Sun	2
	6	Dallas Wings	1

Bold Series winner

2021 season

Template:8TeamBracket-StepladderToSF Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

2020 season

	First round: Single elimination (September 15)				Second round: Single elimination (September 17)				Semifinals: Best-of-five (September 20–29)				WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (October 2–11)
									1 Las Vegas Aces	3
									7 Connecticut Sun	2
					4 Minnesota Lynx	80
					5 Phoenix Mercury	79
	5 Phoenix Mercury	85
	8 Washington Mystics	84
													1 Las Vegas Aces	0
													2 Seattle Storm	3
	6 Chicago Sky	81
	7 Connecticut Sun	94
					3 Los Angeles Sparks	59
					7 Connecticut Sun	73
									2 Seattle Storm	3
									4 Minnesota Lynx	0

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

Semifinals

Team	1	2	3	4	5
1 Las Vegas Aces	62	83	68	84	66
7 Connecticut Sun	87	75	77	75	63

Team	1	2	3
2 Seattle Storm	88	89	92
4 Minnesota Lynx	86	79	71

WNBA Finals

Team	1	2	3
1 Las Vegas Aces	80	91	59
2 Seattle Storm	93	104	92

2015 season

Main article: 2015 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2015 WNBA season and 2015 WNBA Finals

See also: 2015 WNBA Finals

Conference Semi-Finals: Best-of-3

Conference Finals: Best-of-3

WNBA Finals: Best-of-5

E1

New York

2

E4

Washington

1

E1

New York

1

Eastern Conference

E3

Indiana

2

E2

Chicago

1

E3

Indiana

2

E3

Indiana

2

W1

Minnesota

3

W1

Minnesota

2

W4

Los Angeles

1

W1

Minnesota

2

Western Conference

W2

Phoenix

0

W2

Phoenix

2

W3

Tulsa

0

Bold Series winner
italics Team with home-court advantage

2014 season

Main article: 2014 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2014 WNBA season and 2014 WNBA Finals

There were 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

See also: 2014 WNBA Finals

Conference Semi-Finals: Best-of-3

Conference Finals: Best-of-3

WNBA Finals: Best-of-5

E1

Atlanta

1

E4

Chicago

2

E4

Chicago

2

Eastern Conference

E2

Indiana

1

E2

Indiana

2

E3

Washington

0

E4

Chicago

0

W1

Phoenix

3

W1

Phoenix

2

W4

Los Angeles

0

W1

Phoenix

2

Western Conference

W2

Minnesota

1

W2

Minnesota

2

W3

San Antonio

0

2013 season

Main article: 2013 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2013 WNBA season and 2013 WNBA Finals

There were 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

See also: 2013 WNBA Finals

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Chicago

0

E4

Indiana

2

E4

Indiana

0

Eastern Conference

E2

Atlanta

2

E2

Atlanta

2

E3

Washington

1

E2

Atlanta

0

W1

Minnesota

3

W1

Minnesota

2

W4

Seattle

0

W1

Minnesota

2

Western Conference

W3

Phoenix

0

W2

Los Angeles

1

W3

Phoenix

2

2012 season

Main article: 2012 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2012 WNBA season and 2012 WNBA Finals

There were 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

See also: 2012 WNBA Finals

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Connecticut

2

E4

New York

0

E1

Connecticut

1

Eastern Conference

E2

Indiana

2

E2

Indiana

2

E3

Atlanta

1

E2

Indiana

3

W1

Minnesota

1

W1

Minnesota

2

W4

Seattle

1

W1

Minnesota

2

Western Conference

W2

Los Angeles

0

W2

Los Angeles

2

W3

San Antonio

0

2011 season

Main article: 2011 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2011 WNBA season and 2011 WNBA Finals

There were 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Indiana

2

E4

New York

1

E1

Indiana

1

E3

Atlanta

2

E2

Connecticut

0

E3

Atlanta

2

E3

Atlanta

0

W1

Minnesota

3

W1

Minnesota

2

W4

San Antonio

1

W1

Minnesota

2

W3

Phoenix

0

W2

Seattle

1

W3

Phoenix

2

2010 season

Main article: 2010 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2010 WNBA season and 2010 WNBA Finals

There are 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference are seeded one to four. Starting in 2010, the first two rounds changed to a 1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded team hosting games 1 & 3.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Washington

0

E4

Atlanta

2

E4

Atlanta

2

E2

New York

0

E2

New York

2

E3

Indiana

1

E4

Atlanta

0

W1

Seattle

3

W1

Seattle

2

W4

Los Angeles

0

W1

Seattle

2

W2

Phoenix

0

W2

Phoenix

2

W3

San Antonio

0

2009 season

Main article: 2009 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2009 WNBA season and 2009 WNBA Finals

There are 13 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference are seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Indiana

2

E4

Washington

0

E1

Indiana

2

E3

Detroit

1

E2

Atlanta

0

E3

Detroit

2

E1

Indiana

2

W1

Phoenix

3

W1

Phoenix

2

W4

San Antonio

1

W1

Phoenix

2

W3

Los Angeles

1

W2

Seattle

1

W3

Los Angeles

2

2008 season

Main article: 2008 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2008 WNBA season and 2008 WNBA Finals

There were 14 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Detroit

2

E4

Indiana

1

E1

Detroit

2

E3

New York

1

E2

Connecticut

1

E3

New York

2

E1

Detroit

3

W1

San Antonio

0

W1

San Antonio

2

W4

Sacramento

1

W1

San Antonio

2

W3

Los Angeles

1

W2

Seattle

1

W3

Los Angeles

2

2007 season

Main article: 2007 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2007 WNBA season and 2007 WNBA Finals

There were 13 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Detroit

2

E4

New York

1

E1

Detroit

2

E2

Indiana

1

E2

Indiana

2

E3

Connecticut

1

E1

Detroit

2

W1

Phoenix

3

W1

Phoenix

2

W4

Seattle

0

W1

Phoenix

2

W2

San Antonio

0

W2

San Antonio

2

W3

Sacramento

1

2006 season

Main article: 2006 WNBA Playoffs

Further information: 2006 WNBA season

There were 14 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Connecticut

2

E4

Washington

0

E1

Connecticut

1

E2

Detroit

2

E2

Detroit

2

E3

Indiana

0

E2

Detroit

3

W2

Sacramento

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Seattle

1

W1

Los Angeles

0

W2

Sacramento

2

W2

Sacramento

2

W3

Houston

0

2005 season

Further information: 2005 WNBA season

There were 13 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-5

E1

Connecticut

2

E4

Detroit

0

E1

Connecticut

2

E2

Indiana

0

E2

Indiana

2

E3

New York

0

E1

Connecticut

1

W1

Sacramento

3

W1

Sacramento

2

W4

Los Angeles

0

W1

Sacramento

2

W3

Houston

0

W2

Seattle

1

W3

Houston

2

2004 season

Further information: 2004 WNBA season

There were 13 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

Connecticut

2

E4

Washington

1

E1

Connecticut

2

E2

New York

0

E2

New York

2

E3

Detroit

1

E1

Connecticut

1

W2

Seattle

2

W1

Los Angeles

1

W4

Sacramento

2

W4

Sacramento

1

W2

Seattle

2

W2

Seattle

2

W3

Minnesota

0

2003 season

Further information: 2003 WNBA season

There were 14 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

Detroit

2

E4

Cleveland

1

E1

Detroit

2

E3

Connecticut

0

E2

Charlotte

0

E3

Connecticut

2

E1

Detroit

2

W1

Los Angeles

1

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Minnesota

1

W1

Los Angeles

2

W3

Sacramento

1

W2

Houston

1

W3

Sacramento

2

2002 season

Further information: 2002 WNBA season

There were 16 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

New York

2

E4

Indiana

1

E1

New York

2

E3

Washington

0

E2

Charlotte

0

E3

Washington

2

E1

New York

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Seattle

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

W3

Utah

0

W2

Houston

1

W3

Utah

2

2001 season

Further information: 2001 WNBA season

There were 16 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

Cleveland

1

E4

Charlotte

2

E4

Charlotte

2

E2

New York

1

E2

New York

2

E3

Miami

1

E4

Charlotte

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Houston

0

W1

Los Angeles

2

W2

Sacramento

1

W2

Sacramento

2

W3

Utah

0

2000 season

Further information: 2000 WNBA season

There were 16 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four.

Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3

Conference Finals Best-of-3

WNBA Finals Best-of-3

E1

New York

2

E4

Washington

0

E1

New York

2

E2

Cleveland

1

E2

Cleveland

2

E3

Orlando

1

E1

New York

0

W2

Houston

2

W1

Los Angeles

2

W4

Phoenix

0

W1

Los Angeles

0

W2

Houston

2

W2

Houston

2

W3

Sacramento

0

1999 season

Further information: 1999 WNBA season

There were 12 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the three teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to three. The top seeded team in each conference got a bye for the first round.

1998 season

Further information: 1998 WNBA season

There were 10 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four. Houston was switched to the Western Conference in 1998 so two Western Conference teams matched up in the WNBA Finals.

	Playoff Semi-Finals Best-of-3					WNBA Finals Best-of-3
	W1	Houston	2
	E2	Charlotte	0
						W1	Houston	2
						W2	Phoenix	1
	W2	Phoenix	2
	E1	Cleveland	1

1997 season

Further information: 1997 WNBA season

This was the first year of existence for the WNBA. There were only 8 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four. Houston was in the Eastern Conference in 1997 so two Eastern Conference teams matched up in the WNBA Championship.

	Playoff Semi-Finals Single Game					WNBA Championship Single Game
	E1	Houston	70
	E4	Charlotte	54
						E1	Houston	65
						E2	New York	51
	W3	Phoenix	41
	E2	New York	59

See also

• Women's National Basketball Association
• WNBA Finals

External links

• WNBA Playoff History