The WNBA playoff teams have been locked in for a while, but the seeding wasn't decided until the final day of the regular season.
There isn't a bad squad in the field, with seven of the eight clubs finishing at least 10 games above .500. Plus, anything can happen in a best-of-three postseason series.
Here are some of the storylines to watch when the opening round begins Sunday.
Liberty and Lynx set for Finals rematch
The Minnesota Lynx will take on the New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals. Out of all the possible scenarios, the Liberty were the most dangerous first-round opponent that the league-leading Lynx could've drawn. New York still boasts its Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. It also has Leonie Fiebich back in the fold after she spent seven weeks on the shelf.
Stewart remains one of the league's top players and recently took home tournament MVP honors at the FIBA Women's World Cup. While Ionescu's struggled of late, she can easily heat up from beyond the arc and turn a game on its head. Jones is an inside-out threat, elite rebounder, and superb rim-protector.
Meanwhile, Fiebich's size and length on defense, along with her 3-point shooting, has made her an invaluable piece alongside the Liberty's core.
"There's a lot of moments throughout games that don't show up in the box score. ... Cleaning stuff up defensively. Making it hard for players to score. Getting on the glass. And then offensively, her ability to space and really play all the positions," Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco told theScore. "It's just massive for what we're trying to do as a team. So, she's super important."
Minnesota should have more than enough weapons to handle New York, but its margin for error is much smaller in a best-of-three series. The Liberty won two of three meetings between the clubs this season, including a 12-point victory in the most recent matchup.
Will the Aces' dynasty continue?
Can the Las Vegas Aces claim their fourth title in five years? No franchise has enjoyed this much success since the Houston Comets kicked off the WNBA with four consecutive championships.
A'ja Wilson continues to lead the charge with another MVP-caliber season. The Aces superstar topped the league in scoring (26.2 points per contest) for the third straight campaign and led her peers in blocks (1.9) for the sixth time in seven seasons. She also established new career highs in total threes made (38) and assists (132).
"She comes back the next year and somehow finds a way to be better," Aces head coach Becky Hammon told theScore. "Just a tribute to her work ethic, her professionalism, how serious she takes her craft. She continues to just push the limits of what it means to be the greatest basketball player on the planet."
Las Vegas' starting backcourt tandem of Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray keeps delivering as well. The Aces' offense thrived with the guards splitting playmaking responsibilities, as both players ranked in the top five for assists. There are questions about the pieces around the aforementioned trio, especially considering NaLyssa Smith's season-ending leg injury. But having Wilson goes a long way in mitigating the club's flaws.
Valkyries' lack of firepower
The Golden State Valkyries couldn't have dreamed of a better start to their time in the WNBA. Last season, the Valkyries became the first expansion team to secure a playoff berth in its inaugural campaign. Now, they've got their sights set on the big prize after finishing with the league's second-best record.
Head coach Natalie Nakase's defense gave opposing teams fits all season, as Golden State allowed the fewest threes (eight) and points in the paint (31.1). Gabby Williams and Veronica Burton have been a disruptive duo, tallying 1.6 steals per contest apiece. In particular, Williams' length and ability to guard multiple positions has put her in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year.
But can the Valkyries' elite defense overcome their underwhelming offense? Despite having the WNBA's top 3-point attack and record-setting bench production, Golden State registered the third-fewest points per contest. Its offensive struggles in crunch time loom large, too, as the club finished tied for ninth in clutch scoring (9.2). The Valkyries will likely need a bit more of an offensive punch if they hope to make a deep playoff run.
Fever's defensive struggles
The Indiana Fever have a dilemma similar to the Valkyries - on the opposite end of the floor. With a healthy Caitlin Clark back alongside Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, the Fever set numerous single-season offensive records, including offensive efficiency (115 points per 100 possessions) and 100-point games (20). Clark, Mitchell, and Boston averaged a combined 63.1 points, making them the highest-scoring trio ever across a single campaign.
However, the club's seasonlong defensive struggles may ultimately derail its title aspirations. Indiana posted the worst defensive efficiency among playoff-bound teams, giving up 108.3 points per 100 possessions. Over the last 15 seasons, only two champions allowed more than 100 points per 100 possessions.
The Fever also surrendered 0.94 points/play in half-court sequences, tying the league's second-worst mark, according to Sports Illustrated's Dan Falkenheim. Only the Los Angeles Sparks and Toronto Tempo gave up more points in the paint than Indiana. If Stephanie White's squad can't get stops, it may not matter how many points the Fever score.
Playoff debutants
Several of the WNBA's brightest young stars will make their playoff debuts Sunday.
Paige Bueckers led the largest single-season turnaround in league history, helping the Dallas Wings win a franchise-record 27 games after managing only 10 victories a year ago. The UConn product became just the third player to average at least 20 points, four rebounds, and five assists in a season, and her 1,570 points are the most ever through two campaigns.
Olivia Miles' strong play kept the Lynx atop the standings with Napheesa Collier sidelined to start the year and a number of new faces joining the roster. The 5-foot-10 floor general was one of four players to finish in the top 10 in both points and assists. The first-time All-Star also broke Clark's rookie scoring record. Miles has shown poise beyond her years and could join Candace Parker as the only first-year players to win MVP and Rookie of the Year honors.
Angel Reese is getting a taste of the postseason following two noncompetitive seasons with the Chicago Sky. After joining the Atlanta Dream in the offseason, the All-Star forward captured her third rebounding crown in as many seasons and set a WNBA record with 32 double-doubles. Reese's knack for creating turnovers, along with her ability to guard on the perimeter and down low, has made her one of the front-runners for Defensive Player of the Year.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen headline a young Washington Mystics squad that won a team-record 28 games and clinched its first postseason appearance since 2023. In just their second seasons, the two players already make up one of the league's most talented tandems, having earned a pair of All-Star nods in July before representing the U.S. senior women's national team at the World Cup. Citron's an elite perimeter defender and this season's top clutch scorer, while Iriafen is a handful in the post with her brute strength and relentless effort on the glass.
