2026 WNBA playoffs: Your guide to Sunday's Game 1s

After a thrilling end to the regular season in which the playoff seeds were not all determined until late into the night of the final days of games, the highly anticipated 2026 WNBA playoffs are here!

First up are the best-of-three first-round series -- No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 New York Liberty, No. 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 7 Dallas Wings, No. 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever and No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 5 Washington Mystics -- all of which begin Sunday.

Game 2 will take place Tuesday for Minnesota-New York and Las Vegas-Indiana and Wednesday for the other two series. Game 3s, if necessary, would be held Thursday and Friday.

ESPN experts Kendra Andrews, Kareem Copeland, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel dissect what to expect from the biggest stars and top teams in the first round of the playoffs and for the rest of the postseason.

MORE: Playoff predictions | Strengths, flaws for every team | Top 25 players | Schedule

Top-seeded Minnesota hasn't looked dominant in recent weeks. What are the biggest concerns the Lynx have?

Philippou: Coach Cheryl Reeve has had some memorable news conferences this year, including Aug. 6 after Minnesota's loss to the Sparks when she said, "We lost our game because we don't play any f---ing defense. So, if you want to talk about offense, you sound like the players." Reeve has not been pleased with the team's defensive performance since early July, with its rating on that side of the floor ranking seventh in the league in that span (it was No. 1 in the WNBA in May and June). Reeve was even upset about the team's defensive effort in its penultimate regular-season game against the Connecticut Sun; the Lynx bounced back in a big way by holding the Fever to 66 points on Thursday. Undoubtedly, Reeve will be keeping a close eye on the defense starting in this first-round series against the Liberty -- hardly a typical No. 8 seed -- but also for the rest of the postseason should the Lynx advance.

Voepel: Consistency was Minnesota's hallmark for much of the season, but that changed in late August. The Lynx lost four of their last six regular-season games, with two of those losses coming before the FIBA World Cup break and two after. Minnesota averaged 90.8 points this season, but only 76.3 in those four losses. If the Lynx fall short of a title, it might be due to their offense not producing at the level it did for much of the regular season. As Alexa said, Reeve has placed the blame on defense, saying the problems there have slowed down the offense. But in Minnesota's last six regular-season games, Napheesa Collier averaged just 13.0 points. Collier, who was out until July 22 after ankle surgery, needs to return to her superstar scoring form.

Copeland: The Lynx would like to see Collier take another step forward in her return from surgery. Collier said last week that she feels as good as she has all season, and she's trying to get as close to 100% as possible. The five-time All-Star is moving better and quicker and is a veteran in Cheryl Reeve's system, but Collier acknowledged that getting used to the tendencies of Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard has been a learning experience. The Indiana Fever held Collier to single-digit scoring performances in the last two regular-season games, and the Lynx need her to be a bit closer to her typical dominant self.

Andrews: Miles' status is a bit concerning. She missed the last two regular-season games because of a left calf injury, and though the Lynx say it's not serious and she will play in the postseason, those soft tissue injuries are tricky. Players usually have to wait until it's fully healed, and playing on it before it's 100% could cause more damage. Perhaps Minnesota was playing it safe by holding out Miles so she would be healthy for Game 1. But, either way, the Lynx need her on the floor -- and they need her at her best -- for a deep run.

Which team has the most momentum and which has the least entering the playoffs?

Copeland: The Mystics are a league-best 16-4 since July 20. Their current four-game win streak is the second longest in the WNBA. (The Aces are on a seven-game win streak, but that run doesn't include a victory vs. a playoff team.) Washington mixed in a season-defining 93-77 win against the Fever less than a week ago. The Mystics are the youngest team in league history to reach the postseason and are having unexpected success for Year 2 of a rebuild. Washington has leaned on its defense, which has the No. 2 rating in the league (103.3) while allowing the second-fewest points (82.7).

Philippou: Since the WNBA season resumed after the World Cup break, the Atlanta Dream have led the league in net rating (31.2, albeit in just four games). Their 4-0 record in that span includes two road wins over the Liberty, one of which was without Breanna Stewart. Las Vegas and Washington are the only other undefeated teams in September, and the Lynx, Liberty and Fever are each 2-2. That Minnesota is 2-4 in its final six regular-season games is of note: Only one team in league history -- the 2021 Chicago Sky -- won the Finals after finishing with a losing record in their final six games of the regular season.

If the top-seeded Lynx don't win the title, which team will?

Philippou: History tells us that the champion will likely be the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, which this year means the Lynx or Valkyries. In this current playoff format, only one team outside the top 2 seeds has won the WNBA title: the 2021 Sky, who were a No. 6 seed and faced the fifth-seeded Mercury in the Finals. That was also the only time in this format that any teams outside the top-four seeds even reached the Finals. Still, with how tight the standings have been this year -- the top-four seeds are all separated by three games, the top six by five, and Nos. 5-8 by two -- maybe precedent goes out the window.

Copeland: The road to a title still goes through Las Vegas, and any championship hopeful will have to pry the trophy from A'ja Wilson. The league's active dynasty has won three of the past four titles and been to four Finals since 2020. Wilson, the four-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP, was a rookie the last time the Aces didn't at least reach the semifinals. The loss of starting forward NaLyssa Smith (noncontact left leg injury) was a significant blow, but the trio of Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray -- a combined 10 championships, 17 All-Star appearances and six gold medals -- has found success with different supporting casts. History is also on the line as the Aces can tie the Houston Comets, Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx with a league-record four titles.

Which player might have the biggest impact on the postseason?

Philippou: I have my eye on Miles, who will be appearing in her first WNBA postseason, while dealing with a calf injury that kept her out of the Lynx's last two regular-season games. She has been even better than expected as a rookie and has had some clutch regular-season performances. But how will that translate in the postseason and in a series setting where opponents have more opportunities to adjust to her? Perhaps it won't have any bearing, but in her one Elite Eight game during her college career, Miles and TCU suffered a blowout loss to South Carolina.

Copeland: Is it Jackie Young's turn for a Finals MVP? Wilson has two, and Gray got hers in 2022. Young averaged career highs in points (18.9), assists (6.8) and 3-pointers made (2.3) this season, and was fourth in the league in assists and 10th in points. Young is one of the best two-way guards in the world, and the Aces need her to play like it. Remember, she had 32 points and 10 assists in the Game 5 overtime closeout against the Fever in the 2025 semifinals, then averaged 20.3 points, six assists and five rebounds in the Finals sweep over the Mercury.

Voepel: It might seem boring to pick A'ja Wilson, but the best player in women's basketball has consistently been great in the postseason. Wilson remains hungry for championships and has an enormous impact offensively and defensively.

Andrews: I am really excited to see Angel Reese in her first postseason. She racked up double-doubles during the year, but it seems as though she has played at a different level the last week of the season. Unlike Wilson or Young, Reese doesn't have a plethora of postseason experience, but the way she has elevated the Dream this season is undeniable. They look primed to make a big playoff push, and she has been one of their most critical players.

Which first-round series are you most excited for, and what storyline are you most looking forward to seeing throughout the playoffs?

Philippou: The star power in the Aces-Fever series is historic: Per Elias, two of the three highest-scoring duos in league history will be competing against each other in the first round: Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell have combined for 47.0 points per game this year, and Jackie Young and A'ja Wilson are averaging a combined 45.1 points. It's wild to think that either Mitchell-Clark-Aliyah Boston or Wilson-Young-Chelsea Gray will not advance to the semifinals, but that's the nature of the playoffs for you.

Voepel: The Aces-Fever series is atop the marquee for the reasons Alexa stated. It also will be interesting to see how two of the youngest teams in the playoffs -- Washington and Atlanta -- compete against each other. The Dream have not advanced to the semifinals since 2018, when the Mystics beat them. Washington last made the semis in 2019, when it went on to win the WNBA title. Atlanta's Angel Reese and Washington's Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, all members of the winning U.S. World Cup team, will make their playoff debuts.

Copeland: New York's inconsistencies have people questioning the Liberty, but this is still a first-round rematch of the 2024 Finals, which went to overtime in Game 5. The majority of the key figures are still here -- Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve acknowledged a respectful yet "healthy dislike" for each other. That sounds like a lot of fun for a high-stakes, three-game series. But the Aces' quest for a fourth championship and A'ja Wilson's continued persistence to surpass every other all-time great remain the storyline for me.

Andrews: I agree with Kareem's first pick: Lynx versus Liberty. Yes, it's a 2024 Finals rematch. Yes, it's a collection of the best players in the league. But I feel these teams have the most to lose. If the Lynx fail to get out of the first round, they will face a plethora of offseason questions, including why they couldn't get the job done again despite being the No. 1 seed. If the Liberty lose, it will be their second straight year not advancing out of the first round. A year ago, that cost Sandy Brondello her job, and it will surely raise more questions for New York this year.