The New York Liberty are leading the way in the WNBA playoffs race as they kick off the second half of the season in first place. The competition is heating up as we head into August and September.
With eight teams advancing to the postseason, finishing in the top four earns the opportunity to host a best-of-three first-round playoff series. Currently, the top spots seem to be contested by 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 original WNBA franchises, are still chasing their first WNBA title. Although they fell short in the WNBA Finals to the Aces last season, they have been the most consistent team in the league so far in 2024.
Another narrative to track is the Indiana Fever, who have not made it to the playoffs since 2016. With Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark as back-to-back No.1 picks in recent years, the Fever are currently in playoff contention with 14 games left in their regular season.
1:15
Angel Reese records 18th double-double of season
Angel Reese finishes with 11 points and 15 rebounds in the Sky’s loss to the Mercury.
Key remaining dates
Aug. 20: Trade deadline
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
• 25 reasons to read: Our midseason edition of top 25 player rankings
• 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
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