The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals.
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Following the WNBA regular season, four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs and are seeded one to four.
Regular season records determine the seedings of the teams in each conference. The team with the best record receives seed one, the team with the next best record receives seed two, and so on.
These seedings are used to create a bracket that determines the match-ups throughout the playoffs. The first round of the playoffs, or Conference Semi-Finals, consists of two match-ups in each conference based on the seedings (1-4 and 2-3). The two winners advance to the second round, or Conference Finals, with a match-up between the 1-4 and 2-3 winners. At the conclusion of the Conference Finals, the winners of these series advance to the WNBA Finals.
The Conference Semi-Finals and the Conference Finals are each best-of-three series. Series are played in a 1-1-1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage (better record) hosts games 1 and 3, while their opponent hosts game 2. The WNBA Finals are a best-of-five series played in a 2-2-1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games 1, 2, and 5 while their opponent hosts games 3 and 4.
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.
Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3 |
Conference Finals Best-of-3 |
WNBA Finals Best-of-5 |
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E1 | Indiana | 2 | |||||||||||
E4 | New York | 1 | |||||||||||
E1 | Indiana | 1 | |||||||||||
Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||
Western Conference | |||||||||||||
W3 | Phoenix | 0 | |||||||||||
W2 | Seattle | 1 | |||||||||||
W3 | Phoenix | 2 |
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 |
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E1 | Washington | 0 | |||||||||||
E4 | Atlanta | 2 | |||||||||||
E4 | Atlanta | 2 | |||||||||||
Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||
Western Conference | |||||||||||||
W2 | Phoenix | 0 | |||||||||||
W2 | Phoenix | 2 | |||||||||||
W3 | San Antonio | 0 |
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 |
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E1 | Indiana | 2 | |||||||||||
E4 | Washington | 0 | |||||||||||
E1 | Indiana | 2 | |||||||||||
Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||
Western Conference | |||||||||||||
W3 | Los Angeles | 1 | |||||||||||
W2 | Seattle | 1 | |||||||||||
W3 | Los Angeles | 2 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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 |
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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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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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 |
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.
Conference Semi-Finals Single Game |
Conference Finals Best-of-3 |
WNBA Finals Best-of-3 |
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E1 | New York | 2 | |||||||||||
E3 | Charlotte | 1 | |||||||||||
E2 | Detroit | 54 | |||||||||||
E3 | Charlotte | 60 | |||||||||||
E1 | New York | 1 | |||||||||||
W1 | Houston | 2 | |||||||||||
W1 | Houston | 2 | |||||||||||
W2 | Los Angeles | 1 | |||||||||||
W2 | Los Angeles | 71 | |||||||||||
W3 | Sacramento | 58 |
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 1997 so two Western Conference teams matched up in the WNBA Finals.
Playoff Semi-Finals Best-of-3 |
WNBA Finals Best-of-3 |
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W1 | Houston | 2 | ||||||
E2 | Charlotte | 0 | ||||||
W1 | Houston | 2 | ||||||
W2 | Phoenix | 1 | ||||||
W2 | Phoenix | 2 | ||||||
E1 | Cleveland | 1 |
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 |
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E1 | Houston | 70 | ||||||
E4 | Charlotte | 54 | ||||||
E1 | Houston | 65 | ||||||
E2 | New York | 51 | ||||||
W3 | Phoenix | 41 | ||||||
E2 | New York | 59 |
Playoffs • Finals MVP • Broadcasters • Droughts | ||||||||||
1990s | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |||||||
2000s | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
2010s | 2010 | 2011 |
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