That 103-91 loss to the Dallas Wings still stings, doesn’t it? Just as the first-round matchups for the 2026 WNBA Playoffs got set to kick off this Sunday, September 27th, we’re left watching from the sidelines. It’s tough to see the official bracket for the 30th WNBA season without our Emerald City squad in the mix. But hey, the show must go on, and the playoffs look like they are going to deliver some absolute chaos!
The Lynx vs. Liberty: Finals Rematch and Offseason Earthquakes
The biggest fireworks are absolutely set for the No. 1-seed Minnesota Lynx going against the No. 8-seed New York Liberty. This isn’t just any 1-v-8 showdown, folks, this is a straight-up rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals! Get this: the lower-seeded Liberty actually took the regular season series 2-1 from the Lynx, with their most recent win coming about a week ago. Some whispers even suggest the Lynx might’ve “strategically” attempted to avoid this matchup entirely, while the Liberty were reportedly aiming for it. Talk about mind games and pure playoff drama already! For Minnesota, the clock is ticking big time, especially with star Napheesa Collier’s future up in the air as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. They just stomped the Fever in their season finale, a “from-the-jump demolition,” which had to be a huge confidence booster for their championship upside. New York isn’t playing around either. After getting bounced in the first round last season, their leadership went bold: they fired their championship-winning head coach, Sandy Brondello, and brought in Chris DeMarco from the NBA for “more innovative strategies.” If that high-stakes move fizzles with another early exit, you know big player changes are absolutely coming to New York. This series, more than any other, has “seismic implications” for the entire WNBA offseason.
Valkyries Swept the Wings, But Can They Keep Flying?
Then you’ve got the No. 2-seed Golden State Valkyries matching up with the No. 7-seed Dallas Wings. The Valkyries really earned this “favorable” first-round spot with a massive 17-4 closing kick against the Los Angeles Sparks. Golden State straight-up swept Dallas 3-0 during the regular season! So yeah, they were absolutely right to gun for that win in LA to secure this position. Gabby Williams was apparently out there in her “French national team cape,” putting on a show and pushing those Valks to victory. Dallas has to figure out how to stop the bleeding here, especially after running roughshod over *us* just recently, securing that 103-91 victory. No pressure on the Wings now, right?
The other two first-round series are the No. 3-seed Las Vegas Aces battling the No. 6-seed Indiana Fever, and the No. 4-seed Atlanta Dream taking on the No. 5-seed Washington Mystics. While we don’t have all the deep dives on those matchups yet, you know they’ll bring the heat too. You can catch the action starting Sunday with Game 1s at 2 p.m. ET on ABC, another immediately after on ABC at 4 p.m. ET, a primetime Game 1 on Prime, and the final Game 1 on USA Network at 9 p.m. ET.
As much as it absolutely stings not to have our Storm battling for the trophy this year, the WNBA Playoffs are still going to be must-watch television. The stakes are sky-high, and the potential for drama, especially in that Minnesota-New York series, is off the charts. Get ready for some wild basketball!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
Leave a Reply