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WNBA playoff predictions: Who will make it out of the first round? Will the Lynx, Liberty make it back to the Finals?

The 2025 WNBA playoffs have arrived, and the action tips off with an action-packed four-game slate on Sunday. But this isn't just any other postseason. These 2025 playoffs come at a pivotal time in the league's history, as the players are negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of an October 31 deadline.

And while the league's youngest stars, like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese won't be appearing in these playoffs, established superstars like A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will hold things down just fine. But will Stewart and Ionescu's New York Liberty become back-to-back champions? Will Collier's Minnesota Lynx avenge their 2024 Finals loss? Can the Las Vegas Aces ride their second-half momentum back to the Finals? Or will another team surprise?

We'll find out soon enough. Until then, here are Cassandra Negley and Maggie Hendricks' postseason predictions from Yahoo Sports:

Which teams will make it out of the first round?

No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 Golden State Valkyries

Negley: Lynx in 2

The Lynx are the league’s No. 1 team in most major stats, including a 95.9 defensive rating, and should be able to pull out the victories. But it won’t be easy. Golden State is a scrappy defensive squad that bothers opponents, and the Valkyries cut the season finale to a four-point game late in the third quarter on Thursday night. If the perimeter shots hit earlier for Golden State, it could come down to the wire. Minnesota’s largest advantage is its experience, a critical aspect of playoff basketball. That Golden State won’t host at Chase Center due to a prior arena booking also hurts its outlook.

Hendricks: Lynx in 2

Making the playoffs in their first season in existence is not a small feat, but the Valkyries’ dream season will end here. The Lynx are the top team in the league because of their chemistry and depth, and those factors will power the Lynx to the semifinals. One thing Minnesota cannot do is lean on 3-point shooting, as Golden State’s opponents only shoot 31.7 percent from behind the arc. Kayla McBride’s points could be limited, but that means Minnesota will rely on its formidable frontcourt.

No. 2 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 7 Seattle Storm

Negley: Aces in 2

The Storm were wildly inconsistent throughout the course of the season, while the Aces are far and away the league’s hottest team. All but one of their four matchups were decided by seven points or fewer (Seattle won by 20 in the first weeks of the season), and these should be as hotly contested. Las Vegas has more clutch experience (hello, Chelsea Gray) with MVP candidate A’ja Wilson and all-WNBA guard Jackie Young in tow.

Hendricks: Aces in 2

The Aces have been a runaway train since their record-breaking loss to Minnesota on August 2, finishing the season on a 16-game win streak. The team that will stop them needs to have a defense that can lock down not just Wilson, but also Young and Jewell Loyd. That’s not Seattle. While the Storm have had several bright spots over the season, they went 7-10 in the same time period where the Aces didn’t lose a game. While the Aces will win in two, this series will not be boring. The Storm and Aces are the top two teams in blocks, so get ready to see lots of highlight-worthy swats.

No. 3 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever

Negley: Dream in 3

This was the postseason matchup I thought could trip up the Fever’s championship hopes. Although a lot has happened since the Fever’s one-point win in the early days of May, it’s still an intriguing series. The overlooked Dream are known for their 3-point-heavy offense, but they also limit opponents' points from the perimeter and rank first in total rebound rate as well as second in turnover rate. Their depth alone is reason to pencil them through a gauntlet postseason, and it’s a major advantage over the decimated, yet still resilient, Indiana bunch. The Fever are 13-9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Hendricks: Dream in 3

There are no moral victories in sports, but if there were, the Fever reaching the playoffs after losing Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson and Chloe Bibby to injury would be one. But without all those players, Indiana will have a tough time getting by the Dream. Atlanta has too many weapons. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard are reliable scorers, and Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner can own the paint.

No. 4 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 5 New York Liberty

Negley: New York in 3

Insert a row of fire emojis. A 4-5 matchup is, on paper, always the most enticing, and this one won’t disappoint. New York’s roster is one of the most talented in the league and is finally fully healthy (the sound you hear is every Liberty fan knocking on wood). New York's two losses to Phoenix were way back in June and came without major minutes from foundational center Jonquel Jones. The Liberty, laser-focused on surviving at least one round, have enough overall experience in the postseason and experience with each other to take this one.

Hendricks: New York in 3

If you’re a fan of physical games in the paint, you will love this series. Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally playing against Breanna Stewart and Jones means there will be a whole lot of fun battles in this series. To pull off the win, New York has to rely on its ability to get to the free-throw line and kick the ball out to shooters like Sabrina Ionescu. New York leads the league in free-throw percentage and is second in 3-point percentage.

New York Liberty players react after defeating the Minnesota Lynx to win Game Five of the WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Which teams will make the Finals?

Negley: New York vs. Las Vegas

Is Minnesota the safe, smart pick to reach the Finals and win it all? Absolutely. Yet, nothing about this season feels safe or smart.

It’s too hot in Las Vegas to count out the Aces at this point, though an Atlanta-Las Vegas semifinal carries a lot of intrigue. The Dream could have enough to limit A’ja Wilson and force her teammates to step up. But the chaos lies on the other side of my bracket with No. 5-seeded New York advancing to the Finals for a rivalry rematch. The Liberty have too much talent on the roster, and the chemistry they have all built with each other will help expedite the process now that everyone is healthy.

Hendricks: Minnesota vs. Las Vegas

Losing to the Liberty in the 2024 Finals has been a clear motivation for the Lynx this season, and this Minnesota team is not going to make the same mistakes it did last year. While Atlanta vs. Las Vegas is going to be a fun series, Atlanta doesn’t have the juice to stop A’ja and Co.

Who are the 2025 WNBA champions?

Negley: New York

If the Liberty’s playoff chances were a fantasy barometer, the bars would reach high into both boom and bust territory. I’ll lean boom, because, why not?

Hendricks: Minnesota

I’m going to believe Minnesota is the team they have been all season long: dominant, disciplined and a whole lot of fun. If they can continue being who they are, they will win it all.

Who's winning Finals MVP?

Negley: Natasha Cloud

Cloud can be a two-way X-factor in a series defined by the sides knowing each other very, very well. She started the season hot, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors while averaging 18.7 points, 7.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, a conference-best 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in a 3-0 start. That was the stretch in which the Liberty were actually healthy.

I’m hedging hard here, but I’ll also stand now on Courtney Williams as the Finals MVP for the Lynx. They’re a different team when Williams is aggressive.

Hendricks: Courtney Williams

Few players have as much fun on the court — and off of it — as Courtney Williams. She finds a way to shoot from wherever she is on the court and find her teammates as well. Williams is second in the league in total assists with 271 and is shooting 38.9% from the 3-point line. But it’s more than the statistics. Williams finds another notch in the playoffs, and when she scores big, her teams win.

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