Photo Courtesy of Lorie Shaull/Wikipedia

The WNBA’s regular season has come to an end, and now, it is time for the real deal. The WNBA playoffs begin on Sunday, and there are some interesting matchups. And as one team looks to repeat, there are also some teams looking to win their first championship. With that said, let’s take a look at the WNBA playoffs matchups.

New York Liberty (No. 1) vs Atlanta Dream (No. 8)

The New York Liberty had an impressive regular season as they finished with a record of 32-8. Their record this season is identical to their record last season, and this is the second consecutive season they were the first seed. New York is led by their trio of Breanna Stewart, who won Most Valuable Player (MVP) last season, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. The trio accomplished great things in their first season together, as they led the Liberty to the WNBA Finals. Prior to that, they won the Commissioner’s Cup. They lost 3-1 in the finals to the team they beat in the Commissioner’s Cup, which was the Las Vegas Aces. This season, the Liberty are looking to redeem themselves after last year’s finals, and are looking to win the Liberty’s first championship in franchise history. This could be their year, but their playoff journey begins with a talented team looking to prove themselves.

The Atlanta Dream finished their season with a record of 15-25. Despite being below .500, the Dream had some nice wins over the league’s top teams. They beat the Aces 78-74 early in the season, and they also beat the Connecticut Sun (twice) and the Seattle Storm. In their last game of the season, they beat the Liberty 78-67. While this game consisted of key players receiving limited minutes, it is something to carry into the playoffs. The Dream will go out there and compete, but the Liberty will take this series.

Minnesota Lynx (No. 2) vs Phoenix Mercury (No. 7)

The Minnesota Lynx turned things around this season. Last season, they finished with a record of 19-21. This season, they finished the season with a record of 30-10. The Lynx earned the second seed this time around, and after losing to the Sun in the first round last season (as the sixth seed), they are looking to go deeper in the playoffs. Napheesa Collier had a big season for the Lynx, and in Minnesota’s Commissioner’s Cup win, she took home MVP. The Lynx could advance past the first round, but they have to take on an experienced team.

The Phoenix Mercury finished the season with a record of 19-21. The Mercury have won three championships in the past, and they have two skilled veterans in Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. They also made a big offseason move and brought in Kahleah Copper, who they acquired in a trade with the Chicago Sky. In what could be Taurasi’s final playoffs, the Mercury will look to stop the Lynx. However, the Lynx should advance.

Connecticut Sun (No. 3) vs Indiana Fever (No. 6)

The Connecticut Sun finished the season with a record of 28-12. The Sun have been one of the top teams in the WNBA for the past few seasons, and this year was no exception. Players such as Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones led them to success. The Sun are looking for their first championship in franchise history, and this could be their year. But they have a young team standing in their way.

Las Vegas Aces (No. 4) vs Seattle Storm (No. 5)

The Las Vegas Aces are looking to win their third championship. They won in 2022 and 2023 after beating the Sun and Liberty respectively. The Aces finished the season with a record of 27-13. They had some ups and downs in the season but their star player A’ja Wilson had an MVP worthy season. If Wilson does win MVP, this will be the third of her career. The Aces are going for the championship, but they have a tough challenge in the first round.

The Seattle Storm had a productive offseason, as they brought in Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Those two, paired with Jewell Loyd , have made the Storm a contender once again after a brief rebuilding period. The Storm are no strangers to championships (as they have won four), and this could be a chance at another. This could be a good series that can go either way.

The playoffs begin with the Liberty taking on the Dream at 1 pm on Sunday. Then the action continues later on in the day. The playoffs are here and when it is all said and done, there can only be one winner.

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