The Las Vegas Aces set a franchise record with their 13th consecutive victory, the Golden State Valkyries became the first expansion team to make the playoffs in a franchise's inaugural season, and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark announced that she will not return this season due to injury.
Suffice to say, it was an eventful Thursday in the WNBA.
Seven days are left in the 2025 regular season, with much still to be determined. Six teams -- the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty and Golden State -- have clinched postseason berths.
Three teams -- the Seattle Storm, Indiana and Los Angeles Sparks -- are still battling for the final two playoff spots.
Despite their loss to Las Vegas on Thursday, Minnesota already has wrapped up the league's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. But the Aces are the league's hottest team, while defending champion New York is in danger of not being among the top-four seeds and not having home-court advantage in the best-of-three first round.
As the final days of the 2025 regular season wind down, here are how things stand for the nine teams that have made the playoffs or are still in contention, and what seed they are likely to get.
Jump to: ATL | GS | IND | LV | LA | MIN | NY | PHO | SEA
The No. 1 seed
Minnesota Lynx (32-9)
Remaining games: @ GS (Sept. 6), @ IND (Sept. 9), vs. GS (Sept. 11)
Outlook: Staying healthy through these last three regular-season games and going into the playoffs strong is the most important thing for the Lynx at this point. Thursday's loss to Las Vegas might irritate the Lynx, but it shouldn't dent their confidence. They were 3-1 in the season series vs. the Aces.
The most likely candidates for the No. 2 seed
Atlanta Dream (27-14)
Remaining games: vs. LA (Sept. 5), vs. CON (Sept. 8), @ CON (Sept. 10)
Outlook: It looks like Atlanta could finish with three more victories; the Dream are 2-0 against the Sparks and 1-1 against the Sun. Those are the last two teams Atlanta faced: The Dream won at Connecticut by 17 points Monday and defeated Los Angeles at home by 11 on Wednesday. The Dream have the tiebreaker over Phoenix but not against Las Vegas; those are the other top challengers for the No. 2 seed.
Las Vegas Aces (27-14)
Remaining games: vs. CHI (Sept. 7), vs. CHI (Sept. 9), @ LA (Sept. 11)
Outlook: The Aces had a closer-than-expected 79-74 victory at Chicago on Aug. 25, but will be heavily favored in back-to-back games against the Sky in Las Vegas. It's possible Los Angeles will be playing for its playoff life in the regular-season finale. But the Aces could have plenty to play for, too, if they are still trying to secure the No. 2 seed. The Aces also hold the tiebreaker against both Atlanta and Phoenix.
Phoenix Mercury (27-14)
Remaining games: @ CON (Sept. 6), vs. LA (Sept. 9), @ DAL (Sept. 11)
Outlook: The Mercury have won six in a row and eight of their last nine. They might be playing their best basketball of the season, especially with how well Kahleah Copper has played the past month after battling injuries earlier in the season. The Mercury are guaranteed home-court advantage for the first round, but Atlanta and Las Vegas both hold tiebreakers over Phoenix.
A potential No. 4 seed
New York Liberty (24-17)
Remaining games: @ SEA (Sept. 5), vs. WAS (Sept. 9), @ CHI (Sept. 11)
Outlook: The Liberty are hanging by a thread in pursuit of a top-four seed. New York needs to win its last three games and for Las Vegas to lose all three. More realistically, the Liberty -- who have lost four of their last six -- should focus on holding onto the No. 5 seed, which is not locked up.
Watch the Game Highlights from Golden State Valkyries vs. Dallas Wings, 09/04/2025
The potential 5-8 seeds
Golden State Valkyries (23-18)
Remaining games: vs. MIN (Sept. 6), @ SEA (Sept. 9), @ MIN (Sept. 11)
Outlook: What a job by the Valkyries to make the postseason in their first year as an expansion team. They could climb to the No. 5 spot but currently sit at No. 6. They still must face the first-place Lynx twice, and while Minnesota isn't playing for anything specific at this point, the Valkyries' other remaining opponent, Seattle, is still trying to nail down its playoff spot.
Seattle Storm (22-20)
Remaining games: vs. NY (Sept. 5), vs. GS (Sept. 9)
Outlook: Typically, the Storm would be in good shape with their last two games at home. But Seattle has a better record on the road this year (13-9) than at home (9-11). As for their last two opponents, the Storm are 2-0 against the Liberty and 1-2 against the Valkyries. The Storm have won five of their last seven games, but they're coming off a very frustrating loss at home to Los Angeles on Monday.
Indiana Fever (21-20)
Remaining games: vs. CHI (Sept. 5), @ WAS (Sept. 7), vs. MIN (Sept. 9)
Outlook: Realistically, Caitlin Clark's absence doesn't change anything that the Fever are doing on court because she hasn't played since mid-July. The question is can they finish strong? Angel Reese, Chicago's leading scorer and rebounder, will miss Friday's matchup with Indiana after picking up her eighth technical foul Wednesday. Washington is already eliminated from the playoffs. Still, the Fever have lost four of their last six, so they are not out of the woods.
Los Angeles Sparks (19-21)
Remaining games: @ ATL (Sept. 5), vs. DAL (Sept. 7), @ PHO (Sept. 9), vs. LV (Sept. 11)
Outlook: The Sparks have the most remaining games of any playoff contender, but three of those are against the teams battling for second place. It will take a big finish for Los Angeles to avoid a fifth straight season missing the playoffs, but it still has some hope.