EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCelebrations for the medalists at the FIBA Women's World Cup -- the United States, France and Spain -- are done. It's time for WNBA players to get back to work.The league restarts its 30th season Thursday and finishes the regular-season schedule on Sept. 24. All 15 teams have four games left. The eight playoff teams are already set, but the seeding order remains undecided. The WNBA playoffs open Sept. 27.The place to be is in the top-four seeds. That provides a home-court edge, hosting the first and potential third games in the best-of-three first round. The semifinals are best-of-five affairs, and the WNBA Finals are best-of-seven.The league-leading Minnesota Lynx are in the strongest position, guaranteed either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed. The Golden State Valkyries are the only team that can catch the Lynx for No. 1. If they don't, the Valkyries are the favorites for No. 2.Three other teams still have a chance at the No. 2 seed, although they are longshots according to ESPN Analytics: the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever.The other playoff teams -- the New York Liberty, the Washington Mystics and the Dallas Wings -- remain in the running for the top four, but the odds are stacked against them.There is still a lot on the line as some teams battle for playoff position while others try to finish their seasons on a high note. Here's how the playoff picture looks as the season resumes.Top candidates for Nos. 1 and 2 seedsMinnesota Lynx (31-9)Highest potential seed: 1Lowest potential seed: 2Remaining games: vs. NY (Sept. 18), @ CON (Sept. 20), @ IND (Sept. 22), vs. IND (Sept. 24)Outlook: The Lynx lost their last two games before the FIBA World Cup break -- to Golden State and at Atlanta -- but won 16 of 17 before that. Minnesota has a two-game lead in first place over Golden State. The Lynx have the tiebreaker against the Valkyries, having won the season series 3-1, so Golden State must finish ahead of Minnesota in the standings to claim the top seed.The Lynx are in the driver's seat: If they win at least two of their last four games, they will be the No. 1 seed for the second season in a row, regardless of how Golden State finishes. And the worst the Lynx can do is the No. 2 seed. That's because even if the Lynx lose their last four games, they also have the tiebreaker against Las Vegas, the only other team besides Golden State that could match Minnesota's record.As for the opponents Minnesota has left, the Lynx split their two games against New York and Connecticut and won their only matchup with Indiana. So while the odds favor the Lynx, they still must take care of business. Rookie of the Year shoo-in Olivia Miles got some needed rest during the FIBA World Cup break, and Napheesa Collier rejoins the Lynx with a gold medal.Golden State Valkyries (29-11)Highest potential seed: 1Lowest potential seed: 5Remaining games: vs. POR (Sept. 18), vs. SEA (Sept. 19), @ POR (Sept. 22), @ LA (Sept. 24)Outlook: The Valkyries are in just their second season of existence and have made the playoffs both years. Last season, they were the No. 8 seed. Now they are still in play for No. 1, and if they fall short of that the odds are in their favor for No. 2.The Valkyries must pass the Lynx in the standings for the top seed since the Lynx have the season series tiebreaker. Thus, even if Golden State wins out, the Valkyries still need the Lynx to lose three of their last four. However, with two victories, Golden State can do no worse than the No. 2 seed.The Valkyries' remaining games are against teams that are not in the playoffs. However, Golden State will be on the road for the last two. The finale is at Los Angeles and will be Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike's final game before she retires from the WNBA, so the Valkyries must overcome that emotion.Top candidate for No. 3 seedLas Vegas Aces (27-13)Highest potential seed: 2Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: @ SEA (Sept. 17), vs. SEA (Sept. 20), vs. LA (Sept. 22), @ PHO (Sept. 24)Outlook: The defending champion Aces still have a slim chance -- 4%, according to ESPN Analytics -- at grabbing the No. 2 seed. The No. 3 seed is more likely. While they could still drop as low as No. 8, there is a 96.4% chance they will be in the top four. Four-time MVP A'ja Wilson, dealing with back issues, didn't go to the World Cup and had time to recuperate. Aces guards Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray both won gold.Las Vegas' remaining games are against teams that are not in the playoffs. Two are vs. Seattle, which lost forward Ezi Magbegor (Australia) to a knee injury suffered during the World Cup.Top candidates for No. 4 seedAtlanta Dream (26-14)Highest potential seed: 2Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: vs. CON (Sept. 17), vs. CHI (Sept. 19), @ NY (Sept. 21), @ NY (Sept. 23)Outlook: According to ESPN Analytics, the Dream and Fever have about a 1% chance of getting the No. 2 seed; that would take a collapse from Golden State. It's more likely that they will be battling for No. 4. The Dream (49.7%) have slightly better odds than Indiana (44.7%) of getting into the top four. Both teams have the same record, and they tied 2-2 in their regular-season series. The difference could be that Atlanta has a little easier schedule the rest of the way. The Fever beat the Dream 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs last season. The Dream's Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese came home from the World Cup with gold medals.Indiana Fever (26-14)Highest potential seed: 2Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: @ TOR (Sept. 18), vs. WAS (Sept. 20), vs. MIN (Sept. 22), @ MIN (Sept. 24)Outlook: The Fever were the No. 6 seed during the past two years and didn't make the playoffs in the seven seasons before that. This year, according to ESPN Analytics, Atlanta has a 5% better chance than Indiana to get one of the top four seeds, so this could be a battle to the wire. Indiana won seven of its past nine contests before the FIBA World Cup break, and Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark won gold with Team USA. Now, they hope to bring back that energy. Three of Indiana's remaining games are against playoff teams, including two against league-leading Minnesota.Longest shots to be in top-four seedsNew York Liberty (24-16)Highest potential seed: 3Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: @ MIN (Sept. 18), @ TOR (Sept. 20), vs. ATL (Sept. 21), vs. ATL (Sept. 23)Outlook: New York has been one of the most challenging teams to predict this season, going 4-3 in its past seven games before the World Cup break. But three Liberty players -- Team USA's Breanna Stewart and France's Pauline Astier and Marine Johannes -- played in the World Cup gold medal game and should bring back some positive momentum to the Liberty. According to ESPN Analytics, the Liberty have just a 5.1% chance of getting into the top-four seeds. Three of New York's remaining opponents are playoff teams, with a lot on the line for the Liberty and Atlanta in their last two regular-season games, both in Brooklyn.Washington Mystics (24-16)Highest potential seed: 3Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: @ CHI (Sept. 17), @ IND (Sept. 20), vs. CON (Sept. 22), vs. CHI (Sept. 24)Outlook: This season is a big success for the young Mystics regardless of their playoff seed. Few expected them to make the 2026 postseason. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, in their second WNBA season, were part of the U.S. World Cup team.ESPN Analytics gives Washington a 2.8% chance to be in the top-four seeds. But the Mystics own the tiebreaker against Dallas, which could help them stay out of the No. 8 spot. Just one of their remaining games is against a playoff team (Indiana). Washington still has two games against Chicago; the Mystics beat the Sky in their earlier matchup this season in June.Dallas Wings (24-16)Highest potential seed: 3Lowest potential seed: 8Remaining games: vs. LA (Sept. 17), vs. PHO (Sept. 19), @ PHO (Sept. 21), @ SEA (Sept. 23)Outlook: Like the Mystics, the Wings are back in the postseason after missing the playoffs the past two years. No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd is out the rest of the season due to a knee injury. But 2025 top pick and Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers leads the Wings in scoring and assists. She is coming off a gold medal with the U.S. World Cup team. Dallas has the tiebreaker against New York, but Washington has it against Dallas. And while the Wings' remaining games are all against teams out of the playoffs, finishing on the road at Phoenix and Seattle still could be a challenge.
