After months of waiting, the 2025 WNBA playoffs are here. Regular-season records officially mean nothing, and winning when the pressure and the stakes are the highest means everything.
The New York Liberty are the defending champions, but they might have an uphill battle to win back-to-back titles. The Minnesota Lynx, who lost to New York in a five-game WNBA Finals thriller in 2024, have been the best team in the league all season and are primed to avenge their loss. However, they also have teams who will do everything in their power not to see them win.
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The Las Vegas Aces rode a 16-game winning streak into the postseason, climbing from eighth in the standings to second for their chance at a ring. Across the country, the Atlanta Dream won 15 out of their final 18 games to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Finally, despite losing its final three games of the season, the Phoenix Mercury are vying for a championship.
Here are your 2025 WNBA playoffs predictions for every round from Meg Hall and Cory Woodroof, including the WNBA Finals:
First Round
(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) Golden State Valkyries
Woodroof: Lynx in 2; Minnesota won’t mess around. The Valkyries have a lot to be proud of, but this won’t last as long as you think.
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Hall: Lynx in 2; Golden State had a fantastic and historic season, but I’m not convinced they have enough offense-wise to contend with the depth of the Lynx. Minnesota won the season series 3-0, and I expect that dominance to continue.
(2) Las Vegas Aces vs. (7) Seattle Storm
Woodroof: Aces in 2; Seattle just hasn’t maintained consistency this season. There is a good bit of uncertainty for the Storm in the offseason.
Hall: Aces in 3; I have deep concerns about which version of the Storm will show up in the playoffs. Not to mention, the fact that it took a game-winner to send Seattle to the postseason doesn’t make me feel any better about them getting out of the first round. Seattle will steal a game from Vegas, but not much beyond that.
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(3) Atlanta Dream vs. (6) Indiana Fever
Woodroof: Fever in 3; here’s your upset. The Fever refuse to go away, and that survivalism paired with a veteran-heavy roster could spark Indy to win one on the road and get a surprise series win.
Hall: Dream in 3; The Fever are one of the scrappiest teams in the playoffs, but without Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald ― you get the picture ― their chances of winning a title are slim. The injuries will ultimately be too much to overcome.
(4) Phoenix Mercury vs. (5) New York Liberty
Woodroof: Mercury in 3; It’s really, really hard to trust New York right now. They’re the more talented team, but the Mercury have been more potent as of late. That will matter.
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Hall: Liberty in 3; Phoenix’s inconsistent defense down the stretch of the season makes me nauseated and gravely concerned for how they will handle themselves in the playoffs. New York also worries me, as the Liberty don’t quite look like themselves (even now healthy) and lost the season series 3-1 to the Mercury. That said, I think New York’s grit and hustle are enough to get them into the next round ― barely.
Semifinals
Woodroof:
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(1) Lynx vs. (6) Fever: Lynx in 4; the Fever’s unexpected semifinal appearance won’t get Indiana past the best team in the WNBA. Stephanie White and company have a lot to be proud of to get this far without superstar guard Caitlin Clark, but there’s only so much you can do.
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(2) Aces vs. (4) Mercury: Aces in 5; The Mercury will give the Aces a fight, but we have a hard time seeing A’ja Wilson and company denied a spot in the WNBA Finals after how well they’ve played.
Hall:
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(1) Lynx vs. (5) Liberty: Lynx in 5; This is not how I imagined Minnesota and New York would meet again in the playoffs, and I almost feel sick that both of them can’t make it into the WNBA Finals. However, if there is ever a time for Minnesota to prove it wants a championship, this is it. Napheesa Collier’s having an MVP-caliber year, the team had the best record and the No. 1-ranked defense. I mean, this is the stuff dreams are made of. You can’t ask for more. Take it, Minnesota.
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(2) Aces vs. (3) Dream: Aces in 4; Las Vegas has essentially dominated Atlanta every chance it gets in the last two seasons, including three wins this season. While I do think the Dream are fully capable of winning a championship and will take a game against Vegas, I can’t help but wonder if being so young playoff experience-wise will eventually catch up to them. This is where I think Vegas winning two titles with its core will help lift them into the WNBA Finals.
WNBA Finals
Woodroof:
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(1) Lynx vs. (2) Aces: Lynx in 7; this will be a knockout brawl, and not an unexpected one at that. The best two teams in the WNBA as of late meet for a title, with Wilson giving the Lynx all she’s got. However, Minnesota’s defense is just so devastating. If the Lynx focus attention elsewhere to stifle the rest of the Aces’ offense and just let Wilson do her thing, they can get out of this with a WNBA title. It will be close.
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Finals MVP: If the Lynx are going to do this, then Collier will be their MVP. They’ll need her at her best to win the championship. That should be god enough for the Finals MVP honor.
Hall:
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(1) Lynx vs. (2) Aces: Lynx in 7; What a world it would be if the basketball gods ordered up an MVP battle between Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson. Two of the best players in the world. Bucket for bucket. Block for Block. Steal for Steal. This is hoops, folks. The Aces deserve to be in that moment for climbing out of the proverbial basement to get to the mountain top, and Minnesota would deserve the opportunity to avenge its painful 2024 WNBA Finals loss. All things considered, give me Lynx in seven. While it’s hard to go against the dominance that is Wilson ― believe me, I’m disgusted with myself over this decision ― Minnesota’s fourth-ranked bench unit will ultimately bring the franchise its fifth title since 2011.
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Finals MVP: Napheesa Collier; Collier’s been on an otherworldly tear since the beginning of the season, and I expect that to continue in the WNBA Finals. Quite frankly, it doesn’t really matter if the Lynx are hooping collectively as a team; it all starts and ends with MVPhee. While the Minnesota forward won’t average 23 points like she did on the season, 20 points, five rebounds, two steals and one block would be enough for her to walk away with two pieces of hardware.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: WNBA playoff predictions: Will the Lynx melt under the pressure?
