WNBA playoff schedule: Semifinals set with Mercury-Lynx, Fever-Aces

The 2025 WNBA playoff semifinals are set.

The Phoenix Mercury held off the defending champion New York Liberty at home Friday to secure the final spot in the next round, where they will face the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Indiana Fever are also headed to the next round after winning their first playoff series in 10 years. They will face the Las Vegas Aces on the road Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC).

The WNBA semifinals is a best-of-five with a 2-2-1 setup. The higher seed will host Games 1, 2 and 5.

For the first time, the WNBA Finals — which are scheduled to begin Oct. 3 — will expand to a best-of-seven series (2-2-1-1-1) in which the higher seed would host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.

We’ll update each series as games are played and each round as matchups are decided.

Jump to round:
First Round | Semifinals | WNBA Finals

MORE: Semifinal preview | Top 25 players in the postseason

Sunday, Sept. 21

Game 1: Indiana at Las Vegas, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 1: Phoenix at Minnesota, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Tuesday, Sept. 23

Game 2: Phoenix at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Indiana at Las Vegas, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Friday, Sept. 26

Game 3: Las Vegas at Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 3: Minnesota at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Sunday, Sept. 28

Game 4*: Las Vegas at Indiana, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4*: Minnesota at Phoenix, TBD (TBD)

Tuesday, Sept. 30

Game 5*: Phoenix at Minnesota, TBD (TBD)
Game 5*: Indiana at Las Vegas, TBD (TBD)

* If necessary

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(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (4) Phoenix Mercury

Game 1: Mercury at Lynx, Sunday, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Mercury at Lynx, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3: Lynx at Mercury, Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 4*: Lynx at Mercury, Sept. 28, TBD (TBD)
Game 5*: Mercury at Lynx, Sept. 30, TBD (TBD)

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(2) Las Vegas Aces vs. (6) Indiana Fever

Game 1: Fever at Aces, Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Fever at Aces, Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3: Aces at Fever, Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 4*: Aces at Fever, Sept. 28, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5*: Fever at Aces, Sept. 30, TBD (TBD)

* If necessary

FIRST ROUND

(1) Minnesota Lynx defeat (8) Golden State Valkyries 2-0

Game 1: Lynx 101, Valkyries 72
Game 2: Lynx 75, Valkyries 74

• Lynx mount 17-point rally to sweep Valkyries

• Valkyries’ Natalie Naksase named WNBA Coach of Year

• Golden State coach Nakase fined for criticism of officials

• Nakase calls out officiating after Valkyries lose big in Game 1

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(2) Las Vegas Aces defeat (7) Seattle Storm 2-1

Game 1: Aces 102, Storm 77
Game 2: Storm 86, Aces 83
Game 3: Aces 74, Storm 73

• Young’s putback sends Aces back to WNBA Finals

• Storm halt Aces’ 17-game win streak, force Game 3

• Longtime friends Ogwumike, Diggins hope to extend Storm’s season

• From dormant to dominant: Inside the rise of Dominique Malonga

• Loyd: Storm drama in past, ‘at peace’ in Vegas

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(6) Indiana Fever defeat (3) Atlanta Dream 2-1

Game 1: Dream 80, Fever 68
Game 2: Fever 77, Dream 60
Game 3: Fever 87, Dream 85

• ‘We believed it’: Fever stun Dream, win first playoff series since 2015

• From six losing seasons to sneaky contenders: How the Dream rebuilt franchise

• Fever leap another hurdle, stay alive in Game 2 rout

• On brink of playoff elimination, Fever are banking on resilience in Game 2

• Dream’s Hillmon wants to take perfect shot — as player and photographer

• Dream defense stifles Fever in Game 1 victory

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(4) Phoenix Mercury defeat (5) New York Liberty 2-1

Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69
Game 2: Mercury 86, Liberty 60
Game 3: Mercury 79, Liberty 73

• Mercury oust Liberty behind Thomas triple-double

• Liberty ’embarrassed’ by Mercury in 26-point rout

• Thomas’ competitive fire drives championship quest in Phoenix

• Stewart suffers MCL sprain but will play in Game 2

• Inside Sunday’s openers: How Liberty beat Mercury in OT

• Liberty win Game 1 on road; Stewart exits overtime with knee injury

• After season of adversity, can Liberty put together another title run?

* If necessary

WNBA FINALS

Friday, Oct. 3

Game 1: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Sunday, Oct. 5

Game 2: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)

Wednesday, Oct. 8

Game 3: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Friday, Oct. 10

Game 4: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Sunday, Oct. 12

Game 5*: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)

Wednesday, Oct. 15

Game 6*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Friday, Oct. 17

Game 7*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

* If necessary