WNBA standings, playoff picture, schedule: Sky, Dream get big wins in race for final playoff spot

The 2024 WNBA regular season is winding down to the final two weeks, and the playoff picture is taking shape. Seven teams have clinched a postseason berth, while on Friday the Los Angeles Sparks officially became the first team eliminated from playoff contention. That leaves four teams, the Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings battling for the final spot. 

Friday night was a busy one across the league, with four games on the docket. Early on, the Dream pulled off a huge comeback to stun the Wings in overtime, the Lynx cooled off the red-hot Fever and the Aces picked up a big win over the Sun. In the finale, the Sky made easy work of the Sparks. 

As a refresher, the top eight teams, regardless of conference affiliation, make the playoffs in the WNBA. Under the current playoff format, the teams are placed into a standard bracket with the No. 1 seed playing No. 8 in the first round, No. 2 vs. No. 7 and so on. Teams will play a best-of-three series in the first round and best-of-five series in the semifinals and finals. Notably, the first round is a 2-1 format, which means the higher seed gets the first two games at home, while the lower seed gets the deciding Game 3 at home should the series go that far. In the semifinals and finals, it is a standard 2-2-1 format, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2 and 5, if necessary.

Here’s everything you need to know about the current playoff picture, including the standings and key tiebreakers:

Standings

1. New York Liberty (28-6) — Playoff spot clinched
2. Minnesota Lynx (25-9) — Playoff spot clinched
3. Connecticut Sun (24-10) — Playoff spot clinched
4. Las Vegas Aces (22-12) — Playoff spot clinched
5. Seattle Storm (20-14) — Playoff spot clinched
6. Indiana Fever (18-17) — Playoff spot clinched
7. Phoenix Mercury (17-18) — Playoff spot clinched
8. Chicago Sky (12-22)
9. Atlanta Dream (12-22)
10. Washington Mystics (11-23)
11. Dallas Wings (9-25)
12. Los Angeles Sparks (7-27) — Eliminated

Note: Two-team ties are decided first by head-to-head record and then, if necessary, better record against .500+ teams. Ties between more than two teams are determined by combined head-to-head record against the other teams. 

Liberty alone at the top

1. New York Liberty (28-6)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Lynx (1-1); vs. Sun (3-1)

The Liberty won again on Thursday, as they held off the Storm in the fourth quarter. They are now three games ahead of the Lynx and four games up on the Sun. With just six games remaining, it would take a major collapse for the Liberty to miss out on the No. 1 seed. 

Key remaining games: vs. Lynx, Sept. 15

Lynx leapfrog Sun for second

2. Minnesota Lynx (25-9)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Liberty (1-1); vs. Sun (0-2); vs. Storm (3-1); vs. Aces (3-1)

The Lynx had nearly a week off before Friday night’s matchup with the Fever, and they seemed well rested, as they dominated the second half en route to a crucial win. Their result, coupled with the Sun’s loss to the Aces, means they are now a full game up in the race for the No. 2 seed and now control their own destiny. 

Key remaining games: at Liberty, Sept. 15; at Sun, Sept. 17

3. Connecticut Sun (24-10)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Liberty (1-3); vs. Lynx (2-0); vs. Storm (1-2); vs. Aces (0-2)

After fading down the stretch on Friday against the defending champion Aces, the Sun have suddenly lost two in a row. As a result, they’ve dropped down into third place and are a game back of the Lynx, who have been the best team in the league post-Olympic break. Chasing them down won’t be easy. 

Key remaining games: at Aces, Sept. 15; vs. Lynx, Sept. 17

Aces open up gap in race for fourth

4. Las Vegas Aces (22-12)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Sun (2-0); vs. Lynx (1-3); vs. Storm (2-1)

Don’t look now, but the Aces have won four in a row. The latest win was the best of the bunch, as they went into Connecticut and knocked off the Sun. Thanks to this recent hot streak, the Aces have opened up a two-game lead on the Storm in the race for fourth, and suddenly have an outside chance at even catching the Sun for third. 

Key remaining games: at Liberty, Sept. 8; vs. Sun, Sept. 15; at Storm, Sept. 17

5. Seattle Storm (20-14)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Sun (2-0); vs. Lynx (1-3); vs. Aces (1-2)

The Storm continue to struggle in the post-Olympic portion of the season. They lost to the Liberty on Thursday and are now 3-6 since action resumed, which has seen them drop to two full games behind the Aces in the race for the No. 4 seed. 

Key remaining games: vs. Aces, Sept. 17

Surging Fever solidify hold on sixth

6. Indiana Fever (18-17) 

• Tiebreakers: vs. Mercury (3-0); vs. Sky (3-1); vs. Dream (3-0)

Caitlin Clark and the Fever are 7-2 since the Olympic break, with both defeats coming at the hands of the Lynx. The most recent one came on Friday in a game that showed both the Fever’s potential and current inexperience. Still, they remain a game up on the Mercury in the battle for sixth and own the tiebreaker between them. 

Key remaining games: vs. Dream, Sept. 8

7. Phoenix Mercury (17-18)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Fever (0-3); vs. Sky (2-0)

It’s looking more and more like the Mercury will wind up with the No. 7 seed. They were beaten soundly by the red-hot Mystics on Thursday and are now one game back of the Fever, who hold the tiebreaker between the teams, which essentially makes it a two-game gap with five to play. 

Key remaining games: N/A

Sky, Dream, Mystics, Wings battling for final spot

8. Chicago Sky (12-22) 

• Tiebreakers: vs. Dream (2-1); vs. Mystics (1-2); vs. Wings (2-1)

Chennedy Carter’s return from the health and safety protocols was a major boost for the Sky, who beat the lowly Sparks on Friday to snap a seven-game losing streak. They are still clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot via a tiebreaker over the Dream. 

Key remaining games: vs. Mystics, Sept. 11; vs. Mercury, Sept. 15; at Dream, Sept. 17

9. Atlanta Dream (12-22)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (1-2); vs. Mystics (1-1); vs. Wings (2-1)

The Dream were in trouble late in the fourth quarter on Friday, but made an incredible comeback to stun the Wings in overtime. With the victory, their second in three games, they maintained the same record as the Sky, but are still stuck in ninth due to the tiebreaker. 

Key remaining games: at Fever, Sept. 8; vs. Mystics, Sept. 13; at Mystics, Sept. 15; vs. Sky, Sept. 17

10. Washington Mystics (11-23)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (2-1); vs. Dream (1-1); vs. Wings (3-0)

The Mystics kept on rolling with an impressive victory over the Mercury on Thursday. Winners of five of six, they are suddenly just one game back of the Sky and Dream, with three combined games remaining against those clubs. It is now a real possibility that they make the playoffs despite starting the season 0-12. 

Key remaining games: at Sky, Sept. 11; at Dream, Sept. 13; vs. Dream, Sept. 15

11. Dallas Wings (9-25)

• Tiebreakers: vs. Sky (1-2); vs. Dream (1-2); vs. Mystics (0-3)

The Wings collapsed in the second half on Friday en route to an overtime loss that may have ended their playoff hopes. After the evening’s results, they are now three games back of both the Sky and Dream with just six games to play, and do not currently have the tiebreaker against either of them. That’s a huge gap to make up. 

Key remaining games: at Sky, Sept. 8

Sparks officially lottery bound

12. Los Angeles Sparks (7-27)

The Sparks lost again on Friday, this time to the Sky in a game that was largely uncompetitive, and have now become the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention. This is the fourth consecutive lottery appearance for the Sparks, which is the longest such streak in franchise history.