Last Day of Regular Season: WNBA Playoff Berths and Draft Spots at Stake

The 2024 WNBA regular season concludes tonight, with all 12 teams competing in thrilling matchups. While every game matters, some will have a greater impact on this year’s playoffs and next year’s draft lottery.

Seven of the eight playoff spots have already been secured. The final position remains contested between the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, and Washington Mystics, any of which could also find themselves in next year’s lottery, vying for the coveted No. 1 overall pick.

For the teams that have made it to the playoffs, there are still critical seed placements to sort out. The top two seeds and the No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 positions are all confirmed. However, the scenarios for the third and fourth seeds will be settled after the games tonight.

In simpler terms, here’s what’s at stake this evening, along with the schedule and standings as the regular season wraps up:

Tonight’s slate of games kicks off with six matchups (all times are in Eastern Time):

• Chicago Sky at Connecticut Sun, 7 p.m. (WNBA League Pass)
• Atlanta Dream at New York Liberty, 7 p.m. (WNBA League Pass)
• Indiana Fever at Washington Mystics, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
• Los Angeles Sparks at Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m. (WNBA League Pass)
• Dallas Wings at Las Vegas Aces, 10 p.m. (WNBA League Pass)
• Seattle Storm at Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m. (WNBA League Pass)

As for the standings, they reveal which teams have clinched playoff berths and those eliminated from contention:

Team	W	L	GB
New York -x	32	7	—
Minnesota -x	30	9	2
Connecticut -x	27	12	5
Las Vegas -x	26	13	6
Seattle -x	24	15	8
Indiana -x	20	19	12
Phoenix -x	19	20	13
Atlanta	14	25	18
Washington	13	26	19
Chicago	13	26	19
Dallas -e	9	30	23
Los Angeles -e	7	32	25

As the final games approach, the playoff seedings also need to be determined. Currently, five seeds are set entering these decisive matches:

1. New York Liberty
2. Minnesota Lynx
3. TBD
4. TBD
5. Seattle Storm
6. Indiana Fever
7. Phoenix Mercury
8. TBD

The remaining seeds could be finalized swiftly once the early games conclude. The following scenarios will decide who will fill those spots:

• The Atlanta Dream will secure the No. 8 seed with a victory or a Chicago loss.
• The Washington Mystics can clinch the No. 8 seed by winning their game, alongside a loss from Atlanta and a win from Chicago.
• The Chicago Sky needs to win and hope for losses from both Atlanta and Washington to grab the No. 8 seed.
• Connecticut Sun clinches the No. 3 seed with a win or a loss from Las Vegas.
• Las Vegas Aces can secure the No. 3 seed if they win while Connecticut loses.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings have already guaranteed their spots in next year’s draft lottery, where they will compete for the No. 1 overall pick. The Washington Mystics will also be in the lottery, irrespective of outcomes tonight. The Mystics acquired Atlanta’s 2025 first-round pick, meaning they could either have their own lottery pick if they miss the playoffs, or Atlanta’s, if they make it. If both teams fail to make the playoffs, Washington could end up with two lottery picks.

Source: USA Today