The 2021 WNBA Playoffs are in full swing. See below for round one results, an updated playoff bracket and schedule, plus TV channel info for this weekend’s round two games.
Quick refresher: How do the WNBA Playoffs work?
The playoff format is the same in 2021 as recent seasons. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season – regardless of conference – qualified for the WNBA playoffs.
A team’s regular season ranking is important: the top two teams received a bye to the semifinal round, while the third- and fourth-ranked teams received a bye to the second round. The first and second rounds are single elimination, while the semifinal and final rounds feature a best-of-five format.
ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: Don’t be misled by the WNBA’s top 10 jersey list
Since the current WNBA playoff format was adopted in 2016, only once (2018) did the two teams that made the best-of-five finals differ from the two top teams at the end of the regular season. That year, the Washington Mystics (ranked third) defeated the No. 2 Atlanta Dream to qualify for the WNBA Finals. (The Mystics then lost in the Finals 3-0 to the top-ranked Seattle Storm.)
2021 WNBA Playoffs – Bracket and Seeds
Here are the teams still in the running for the 2021 WNBA title:
-
Connecticut Sun (double bye to semifinal round)
-
Las Vegas Aces (double bye to semifinal round)
-
Minnesota Lynx (bye to second round)
-
Seattle Storm (bye to second round)
-
Phoenix Mercury
-
Chicago Sky
Eliminated from title contention: Dallas Wings (7), New York Liberty (8)
Here’s a look at the WNBA playoff bracket ahead of this weekend’s games:
2021 WNBA Playoffs – First Round Results (single elimination)
|
Thursday, September 23 |
Chicago (6) def. Dallas – 81-64 |
8:00PM ET |
ESPN2 |
|
Thursday, September 23 |
Phoenix (5) def. New York (8) – 83-82 |
10:00PM ET |
ESPN2 |
WNBA Playoff Games this Weekend – Second Round (single elimination)
|
Sunday, September 26 |
Phoenix (5) at Seattle (4) |
3:00pm ET |
ABC |
|
Sunday, September 26 |
Chicago (6) at Minnesota (3) |
5:00pm ET |
ESPN2 |
2021 WNBA Semifinals (best-of-five format)
Note: Games marked with an asterisk (*) will only be played if necessary.
|
Tuesday, September 28 |
TBD at Connecticut (1) – Game 1 |
8:00PM |
ESPN2 |
|
Tuesday, September 28 |
TBD at Las Vegas (2) – Game 1 |
10:00PM |
ESPN2 |
|
Thursday, September 30 |
TBD at Connecticut (1) – Game 2 |
8:00PM |
ESPN2 |
|
Thursday, September 30 |
TBD at Las Vegas (2) – Game 2 |
10:00PM |
ESPN2 |
|
Sunday, October 3 |
Connecticut (1) at TBD – Game 3 |
Time TBD |
TV TBD |
|
Sunday, October 3 |
Las Vegas (2) at TBD – Game 3 |
Time TBD |
TV TBD |
|
Wednesday, October 6 |
Connecticut (1) at TBD – Game 4* |
Time TBD |
ESPN |
|
Wednesday, October 6 |
Las Vegas (2) at TBD – Game 4* |
Time TBD |
ESPN |
|
Friday, October 8 |
TBD at Connecticut (1) – Game 5* |
Time TBD |
ESPN2 |
|
Friday, October 8 |
TBD at Las Vegas (2) – Game 5* |
Time TBD |
ESPN2 |
2021 WNBA Finals (best-of-five format)
Notes: The WNBA Finals will move up to start on October 6 or 8 if both semifinal rounds end in 3 or 4 games, respectively. Games marked with an asterisk (*) will only be played if necessary.
|
Sunday, October 10 |
TBD – Game 1 |
3:00PM |
ABC |
|
Wednesday, October 13 |
TBD – Game 2 |
9:00PM |
ESPN |
|
Friday, October 15 |
TBD – Game 3 |
9:00PM |
ESPN2 |
|
Sunday, October 17 |
TBD – Game 4* |
3:00PM |
ESPN |
|
Tuesday, October 19 |
TBD – Game 5* |
9:00PM |
ESPN2 |
ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: 2022 Olympic hockey schedule released, key women’s storylines to know
More from On Her Turf
Don’t be misled by the WNBA’s top 10 jersey list Katie Ledecky is leaving Stanford and moving to Florida Carissa Moore reflects on fifth world title, progress in women’s surfing
2021 WNBA Playoffs: Full schedule, bracket, results, and how to watch originally appeared on NBCSports.com