The WNBA’s first 44-game regular season has come to a close and eight teams are ready to tip off the postseason on Sunday. Can the No. 1 seed Lynx make it back to the final and come away winners this time? Will the defending champion Liberty find their groove just in time for a playoff run? And how about those Aces? Will their 16-game winning streak translate into playoff success? Or will it be a team like the Mercury or Dream that muscles their way through each round?
Our writers and editors make their picks and predictions for how the 2025 WNBA playoffs will unfold.
The team that should be on upset watch is…
Emma Baccellieri: It feels almost wrong to look for an “upset” in the series between the No. 4 Mercury vs. the No. 5 Liberty. Put aside that 4-versus-5 always feels a bit like that: After weeks of struggling with injuries that saw the squad fall down in the standings, New York is at last healthy again, with a roster stronger than its spot in the bracket might suggest. That doesn’t mean a series win should be expected for the Liberty. But it wouldn’t exactly be surprising, either. And even if this doesn’t quite feel like traditional upset fodder, it still feels like the most interesting, competitive matchup of the first round.
Clare Brennan: The Mercury. Yes, the Liberty are stumbling into the postseason after a series of injuries hindered their season. Plus, Phoenix holds a 3–1 record over New York in their four regular-season meetings, and has home-court advantage in the series. Still, it’s a tough test to face the reigning WNBA champions in the first round of the playoffs.
Elizabeth Swinton: The Mercury. Phoenix fans would have likely preferred a different matchup than the defending champs in the opening round. The Mercury hold the edge on the Liberty in the regular season, but New York can’t be overlooked with a healthy Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. Anything can happen in a best-of-three series, but the Mercury will have to make the most of their home-court advantage to knock out the Liberty.
Dan Falkenheim: The Liberty. While they enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed, most major sportsbooks are giving New York the second-best odds to win it all. To be clear: The Liberty are as talented as any team in the league when fully healthy—and they are finally healthy. But, defensive issues and rebounding woes have cropped up at different points in the season, and the Liberty also have to integrate an injury-free roster on an accelerated timeline.
The player who is primed for a breakout this postseason is…
EB: Natisha Hiedeman. That she operates exclusively off the bench is a credit to the depth and balance of the Lynx. But even in relatively limited minutes, she can still pack a meaningful punch, which has already been on display this month: She began September by scoring 20 or more points in three consecutive games. Defenses have their hands full with the flashier pieces of this offense. But they ignore Hiedeman at their own peril.
CB: Kayla McBride. As a 12-year league veteran and five-time All-Star, “breakout” is a bit of a misnomer for McBride. However, she is poised for a massive postseason, with the Lynx the favorites to take home the title. A versatile scorer, McBride is a lethal three-point threat who can help space the floor. She’s also a seasoned pro who can show up in the big moments and won’t get rattled down the stretch of close games.
ES: Courtney Williams. This could very well be the year of Courtney Williams. Beyond the StudBudz hype, Williams has put up one of her best WNBA seasons, being named an All-Star for just the second time in her 10-year career. It would not be surprising to see Williams go on a run this postseason to power Minnesota’s championship aspirations.
DF: Naz Hillmon. This might be cheating, since Hillmon’s play generated Most Improved Player buzz to close the season, but her ability to space the floor as a stretch four, in tandem with her rebounding and leadership, has helped the Dream reach another level. The Jordin Canada-Allisha Gray-Rhyne Howard-Hillmon-Bri Jones lineup has the second-highest net rating among all five-player combinations.
The 2025 WNBA champion will be…
EB: The Lynx. They’ve simply been too good to pick against. After coming within an overtime period of a championship last season, they have managed to get even better this season: They’ve broken their own league assist record, they’ve made their offense more efficient, and they’re led by an even more lethal version of Napheesa Collier. This one is Minnesota’s to lose.
CB: The Lynx. Minnesota has proven to be the best, most consistent and championship-ready team throughout the regular season. Teams always emphasize the importance of chemistry during a title run, and the Lynx are one of the tightest-knit groups in the league. They have an extensive history of playing together and are motivated by their bitter loss in last year’s Finals.
ES: The Aces. Often, championships boil down to a team—or player—getting hot at the right time. The winners of 16 straight, Las Vegas is fitting that bill after falling in the semifinals last postseason to the Liberty. The question remains whether the Aces peaked too soon, but they are the team to beat until proven otherwise behind a red-hot A’ja Wilson.
DF: The Lynx. Minnesota is out to avenge its 2024 WNBA Finals loss to the Liberty, and it will be a tough task for any opponent to beat a team as consistent, detail-oriented, talented and well-coached as the Lynx are in a best-of-seven series.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Expert Picks, Predictions for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.