WNBA playoffs 2026: Dream lock in 4-seed; Liberty are No. 8

A single game Wednesday -- on the eve of the regular-season finales -- finally brought some clarity to seeding for the 2026 WNBA playoffs.

With a victory over the New York Liberty, the Atlanta Dream locked up the No. 4 seed. The loss put New York as the No. 8 seed, and the Dallas Wings as the No. 7 seed.

All eight WNBA playoff spots were spoken for in August, but the rest of the seeds won't be determined until Thursday's regular-season finales. The Minnesota Lynx clinched the No. 1 seed Tuesday when the Portland Fire beat the Golden State Valkyries.

Here's a look at the teams that will play in the postseason. We'll add final seeds after Thursday's results. Teams are listed in the order in which they clinched a playoff berth.

The WNBA playoffs open Sunday with four games.

Minnesota Lynx

Playoff seed: No. 1

How they got here: The Lynx became the first team to clinch a spot in the postseason with a victory over the Wings on Aug. 9 that left Minnesota at 27-7 with 11 games to go in the regular season. Preseason expectations were tempered, as Napheesa Collier was still working her way back to the court after offseason surgery on both ankles and some key players were lost in free agency, but Minnesota has been at the top of the standings most of the summer. The Lynx won eight consecutive games over a three-week stretch in May and June and then 10 straight from July 8 through Aug. 2.

Point guard Olivia Miles (19.9 PPG, 6.1 APG), the No. 2 draft pick in April, adjusted immediately to the pro game and has been one of the top players in the league, putting in one of the most impressive rookie seasons in WNBA history. Guard Kayla McBride (18.2 PPG, 42.3% 3-point shooting) has also had highlight-reel moments, including a career-high 43 points and WNBA single-game record 10 3-pointers in that Aug. 9 win. Forward Natasha Howard anchored the frontcourt in Collier's absence and is averaging 15.1 points and 7.8 rebounds and shooting 58.7% from the field. And guard Courtney Williams (14.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.2 APG), who like Howard has started every game this season, remains ever-steady.

Key stat: Twenty-seven. Collier made her season debut on July 22. By then, the Lynx were 21-6 and had played 61% of their regular-season games and established Minnesota as the league leader without the perennial MVP candidate. The Lynx are 8-1 since Collier returned. She had 24 points and 10 boards in her first game back and is averaging 19.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals. (Stats through games as of Aug. 16.)

Las Vegas Aces

Playoff seed: TBD

How they got here: The Aces became the second team to clinch a postseason berth, beating the Mystics on Aug. 13 to move to 24-11 with nine regular-season games remaining on their schedule. Last season, Las Vegas needed a second-half surge to turn around its season, ultimately winning the program's third WNBA championship. A'ja Wilson remains the engine -- averaging a league-best 26.1 points as well as 9.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals, and shooting 52.3% -- but the Aces still have one of the league's best big three. Jackie Young (18.4 PPG, 6.7 APG) and Chelsea Gray (12.3 PPG, 7.1 APG) help anchor the backcourt along with Jewell Loyd (8.1 PPG), who continues to come off the bench this season. Forward NaLyssa Smith (12.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG) rounds out the double-digit scorers.

Key stat: Wilson has scored in double digits in every game this season (she has been held to 15 or fewer points in two games). Last season, she became the first player in WNBA history to win four regular-season MVP awards (she was also WNBA Finals MVP for the second time in her career). This season, she has made 33 3-pointers, setting a new single-season high (she had 31 in 2022). (Stats through games as of Aug. 16.)

Golden State Valkyries

Playoff seed: TBD

How they got here: A year ago, Golden State became the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its first season. Now the Valkyries are going for a second straight year. With Monday's home win over Dallas, Golden State became the third team in 2026 to secure a postseason berth. Defense and depth lead the way, as the Valkyries -- who clinched with 10 regular-season games remaining and a 25-9 record -- give up the fewest points per game in the WNBA. Gabby Williams (14.6 PPG, 1.6 SPG), who joined Golden State as a free agent in the offseason, is one of the most impactful players on a new team this season. Fellow forward Janelle Salaun, the Sixth Player of the Year front-runner, ranks second on the team with 13.1 points per game despite coming off the bench. Guard Veronica Burton (12.3 PPG) rounds out the double-digit scorers.

Key stat: The Valkyries are 19-4 since June 9 after starting the season 6-5. Golden State has won six consecutive games -- the longest current win streak in the league. (Stats through games as of Aug. 17.)

Indiana Fever

Playoff seed: TBD

How they got here: The Fever lost to Dallas on Thursday, snapping their five-game winning streak. And even though they were idle Friday, they became the fourth team to clinch a playoff berth when Portland lost to Toronto. Guard Kelsey Mitchell (24.6 PPG) has been on a tear, scoring 20 or more points in a WNBA-record 21 consecutive games. On Thursday, she tallied her third career game with at least 35 points and five assists on 50% shooting from the field -- tied with A'ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi and Kelsey Plum for the most in WNBA history. Prior to the streak ending Thursday, Caitlin Clark (21.7 PPG, 8.3 APG) set a WNBA record with seven straight games with at least 20 points and at least five assists. Completing the big three, Aliyah Boston is averaging 16.9 points and 8.6 rebounds.

Key stat: The Fever have topped the 100-point mark in a WNBA-record 16 games this season -- five more than any other team in WNBA history. Indiana is headed to its third consecutive playoff appearance. Before the 2024 season, the Fever had missed the postseason for seven straight seasons. (Stats through games as of Aug. 21.)

Atlanta Dream

Playoff seed: No. 4

How they got here: Angel Reese scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds -- her third consecutive game with at least 20 points and 10 boards -- on Saturday in a victory over Phoenix that clinched the Dream's playoff berth. This season, Reese has tallied 10 games with 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. (She had 10 combined in her first two seasons.) Reese also has 26 double-doubles on the season. Allisha Gray leads Atlanta in scoring (19.4 PPG), and Rhyne Howard (18.2 PPG) ranks second. The big three, who were voted All-Stars in July, help fuel the WNBA's third-highest scoring offense that has twice broken the franchise record this season for most points in a game (124 vs. the Sparks on Thursday). Guard Jordin Canada averages 7.4 assists, which ranks third in the WNBA.

Key Stat: Just two players in the WNBA are averaging a double-double: Reese (16.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG) and the Wings' Jessica Shepard (14.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG). (Stats through games as of Aug. 23.)

New York Liberty

Playoff seed: No. 8

How they got here: The Liberty clinched their playoff berth Sunday when the Fire lost. After a rocky start to coach Chris DeMarco's first year -- the team was 4-4 in late May and 13-11 in mid-July -- New York has won 10 of its last 13 games. Breanna Stewart (20.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.3 APG) remains one of the league's best players; her 46.8% shooting from the field is her best mark since 2022. Sabrina Ionescu, who missed 13 games because of injury, is averaging 15.9 points, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds, and center Jonquel Jones, an All-Star alongside Stewart, adds 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The return of Leonie Fiebich looks to be coming at the perfect time. The Liberty went 9-7 as she was out with a left foot injury, but she returned Saturday and had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in a win over Indiana.

Key Stat: The Liberty have depth and talent throughout the roster. Not including Satou Sabally, who has played 15 games but none since June 23 because of lingering concussion symptoms, six players are averaging at least 9.0 points and 20 minutes per game, including Marine Johannes (9.0 PPG) and Pauline Astier (9.3 PPG, 3.4 APG). (Stats through games as of Aug. 24.)

Washington Mystics

Playoff seed: TBD

How they got here: The Mystics clinched a berth Sunday; their win over the Fire combined with the Sky's loss the same night made Washington the seventh team to secure a playoff spot. In that 105-100 victory over Portland, Shakira Austin scored a career-high 31 points and had her first career game with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Austin (17.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG) leads Washington in scoring, though guard Sonia Citron (16.9 PPG) is right behind her. Kiki Iriafen (15.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG) has had three straight double-doubles.

Key Stat: The Mystics, the youngest team in the league, are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023. (Stats through games as of Aug. 24.)

Dallas Wings

Playoff seed: No. 7

How they got here: Paige Bueckers (20.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.1 RPG), who scored 54 points over the past two games, has helped lead Dallas to its first playoff appearance since 2023. The Wings clinched the final berth Tuesday as all five starters scored in double figures in a win over Portland. Bueckers, who was the No. 1 draft pick in 2025 and will compete in her first playoffs, leads Dallas in scoring and assists. Jessica Shepard (14.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG), who has been one of the most impactful players on a new squad this season, is one of two players in the WNBA averaging a double-double. (Angel Reese is the other.) Arike Ogunbowale ranks second on the team with 15.1 PPG. Earlier this month, the Wings lost 2026 No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd (13.1 PPG) for the season to a knee injury. Young post player Awak Kuier (5.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG) could be heating up at the right time. She had one of her best games of the season -- 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks -- on Tuesday.

Key stat: The Wings improved to 23-16 on Tuesday. That's their most wins in any season since 2007, when the franchise was still in Detroit. Dallas has 20 90-point games this season, the most in a single campaign in franchise history. (Stats through games as of Aug. 25.)