The WNBA playoff picture is starting to come into focus.
With just a few days remaining in the regular season, seven teams have clinched playoff berths (Connecticut Sun, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings), and three teams remain in contention for the last spot (Washington Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty). The seedings are still very much in flux, so even the squads that know they are heading to the postseason have a reason to keep competing.
MORE: Watch the WNBA live with fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the 2021 WNBA playoffs, including an updated look at the league standings.
When do the WNBA playoffs start in 2021?
- Last day of regular season: Sunday, Sept. 19
- WNBA playoffs: Thursday, Sept. 23
The 2021 WNBA playoffs will begin on Thursday, Sept. 23. The latest possible date for a WNBA Finals game is Tuesday, Oct. 19.
What channel is the WNBA playoffs on in 2021?
ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 will provide coverage of up to 19 postseason games during the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google and the WNBA Finals 2021 presented by YouTube TV. You can also stream for free on fuboTV.
How will the WNBA playoffs work?
- Eight total teams will qualify for the WNBA playoffs with regular season record determining the seedings of those teams. The top two seeds will earn a bye to the semifinals, and the third and fourth seeds will earn a bye to the second round.
- The first and second rounds are single elimination, and the semifinals and WNBA Finals are best-of-five series. The higher seeds will host Games 1, 2 and 5, while the lower seeds will host Games 3 and 4 in those series.
- Teams will be re-seeded after each playoff round.
MORE: Upcoming key dates for the 2021-22 NBA season
WNBA regular season schedule 2021
Sept. 13
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
Dallas Wings vs. Las Vegas Aces | 3 p.m. | NBA TV |
Sept. 14
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream | 7 p.m. | NBA TV |
Sept. 15
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
New York Liberty vs. Connecticut Sun | 7 p.m. | CBSSN |
Sept. 16
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
Los Angeles Sparks vs. Atlanta Dream | 7 p.m. | Amazon |
Sept. 17
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever | 7 p.m. | |
Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty | 7 p.m. | |
Las Vegas Aces vs. Chicago Sky | 8 p.m. | NBA TV |
Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm | 10 p.m. | NBA TV |
Sept. 19
Game | Time (ET) | Channel |
Atlanta Dream vs. Connecticut Sun | 1 p.m. | NBA TV |
Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury | 3 p.m. | ABC |
Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics | 3 p.m. | ESPN3 |
Los Angeles Sparks vs. Dallas Wings | 5 p.m. | NBA TV |
Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky | 6 p.m. | CBSSN |
WNBA standings 2021
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Connecticut Sun* | 24-6 | — |
2. | Las Vegas Aces* | 21-8 | 2.5 |
3. | Minnesota Lynx* | 20-10 | 4.0 |
4. | Seattle Storm* | 20-11 | 4.5 |
5. | Phoenix Mercury* | 19-11 | 5.0 |
6. | Chicago Sky* | 15-15 | 9.0 |
7. | Dallas Wings* | 13-17 | 11.0 |
8. | Washington Mystics | 12-18 | 12.0 |
9. | Los Angeles Sparks | 11-19 | 13.0 |
10. | New York Liberty | 11-19 | 13.0 |
*clinched playoff berth
Eliminated from playoff contention: Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever
WNBA standings 2021: Eastern Conference
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Connecticut Sun* | 24-6 | — |
2. | Chicago Sky* | 15-15 | 9.0 |
3. | Washington Mystics | 12-18 | 12.0 |
4. | New York Liberty | 11-19 | 13.0 |
WNBA standings 2021: Western Conference
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Las Vegas Aces* | 21-8 | — |
2. | Minnesota Lynx* | 20-10 | 1.5 |
3. | Seattle Storm* | 20-11 | 2.0 |
4. | Phoenix Mercury* | 19-11 | 2.5 |
5. | Dallas Wings* | 13-17 | 8.5 |
6. | Los Angeles Sparks | 11-19 | 10.5 |