The Minnesota Lynx punched their ticket to the WNBA playoff semifinals.

The No. 1-seeded Lynx overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the No. 8 Golden State Valkyries 75-74 in Game 2 on Wednesday at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. With the win, the Lynx advance to the semifinals for the second consecutive year and will face the winner of the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty series, which will be decided Friday.

‘I just happy we got the dub,’ Lynx forward Bridget Carleton, who scored 12 points on four 3s, said. ‘It’s hard to play in this arena, they play hard. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’

Lynx forward Napheesa Collier made a go-ahead 18-footer with 1:24 left and finished with a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Kayla McBride added 18 points and four rebounds, including a layup that gave the Lynx a 71-70 lead with 2:48 remaining. It was Minnesota’s first lead since the first quarter. 

The Valkyries had a shot to win the game. Cecilia Zandalasini missed a buzzer-beating jumper that would have forced a Game 3. Monique Billings had 15 points off the bench, while Zandalasini and Janelle Salaun each finished with 14 points. The Valkyries shot 50% from the 3-point line in the loss.

Here’s what you need to know for Game 2 between the Valkyries and Lynx:

End of Q3: Valkyries 63, Lynx 49

Ten minutes separates the Golden State Valkyries from their first franchise playoff win. The Valkyries have an 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Four Valkyries players have scored 10 or more points, lead by 14 points from Janelle Salaun. Veronica Burton and Monique Billings each added 13 points, while Cecilia Zandalasini has 10 points and five rebounds. The Valkyries are collectively shooting 50% from the 3-point line.

Napheesa Collier has a game-high 17 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Kayla McBride is up to 12 points. The Valkyries’ persistent defense has prevented the Lynx from finding their offensive rhythm. Minnesota is shooting 38.5% from the field and 5-of-23 from the 3-point line.

Halftime: Valkyries 41, Lynx 28

The SAP Center at San Jose is rocking as the Golden State Valkyries have a 13-point lead over the league-leading Minnesota Lynx heading into halftime. The Valkyries held the Lynx to nine second-quarter points.

Golden State is firing on all cylinders. Seven Valkyries have scored and five different players have hit at least one 3-pointer. Not only are the Valkyries shooting 55.2% from the field and 63.6% from the 3-point line, Golden State has recorded five steals, two blocks and forced the Lynx into eight turnovers, which the Valkyries have converted to 13 points. Janelle Salaun has a team-high nine points, while Monique Billings has eight points off the bench.

Napheesa Collier has a game-high 10 points and three rebounds for the Lynx. Kayla McBride, who scored seven points in the first quarter, was held scoreless in the second quarter. The Lynx are 2-of-13 beyond the arc.

End of Q1: Valkyries 27, Lynx 19

The Minnesota Lynx jumped to a 5-0 start, but the Golden State Valkyries went on a 10-2 run to take the lead. Golden State has an eight-point lead heading into the second quarter.

Veronica Burton, the WNBA’s Most Improved Player, leads the Valkyries with six points. Janelle Salaun added five points, while Monique Billings had four points off the bench. The Valkyries are shooting a staggering 83.3% from the 3-point line and 66.7% from the field.

Kayla McBride has a team-high seven points and one steal and said the Lynx must play better perimeter defense against the Valkyries moving forward. Napheesa Collier added five points. The Lynx are 2-of-8 from 3.

What time is Minnesota Lynx at Golden State Valkyries?

The Golden State Valkyries host the Minnesota Lynx at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, California. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

How to watch Minnesota Lynx at Golden State Valkyries: TV, stream

• Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
• Location: SAP Center at San Jose (San Jose, California)
• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscriber

Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx starting lineups

Minnesota Lynx starting lineup

Head coach: Cheryl Reeve

• 6 Bridget Carleton | F 6′ 2′ – Iowa State
• 8 Alanna Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Stanford
• 10 Courtney Williams | G 5′ 8′ – South Florida
• 21 Kayla McBride | G 5′ 11′ – Notre Dame
• 24 Napheesa Collier | F 6′ 1′ – UConn

Golden State Valkyries starting lineup

• 6 Kaila Charles | G 6′ 1′ – Maryland
• 12 Iliana Rupert | C 6′ 4′ – France
• 13 Janelle Salaun | F 6′ 2′ – France
• 22 Cecilia Zandalasini | F 6′ 2′ – Italy
• 22 Veronica Burton | G 5′ 9′ – Northwestern

Golden State Valkyries Natalie Nakase named Coach of the Year

She is going to need her best coaching job of the season to beat the Lynx. Minnesota is 5-0 against Golden State this season.

Golden State Valkyries feeling at home

The Valkyries know the way to San Jose.

Valkyries guard Veronica Burton wins WNBA Most Improved Player

When All-Star Kayla Thornton was lost to a right knee injury in mid-July, many wondered if the Golden State Valkyries would be able to continue on a postseason pace.

In stepped Veronica Burton, who lead the Valkyries in nearly every statistical category – points (11.9), assists (6.0), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.6) – and on Monday, Sept. 15, she was named the WNBA Most Improved Player. Burton’s game is well-rounded, demonstrated by the fact she’s one of five players to average at least 10 points, 5 assists and 1.5 made 3-pointers a game, joining Kelsey Plum, Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and Skylar Diggins.

Minnesota Lynx arrives in San Jose

The Lynx are ready looked read to get down to business and advance.

Valkyries in their home away from home

The Valkyries are playing at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, and the Caltrain is here for it.

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The Phoenix Mercury needed a win on the road to keep their playoff lives alive. The Mercury not only got the victory, they completely dismantled the defending champion New York Liberty in the process. 

The No. 4 seed Mercury routed the No. 5 seed Liberty 86-60 in Game 2 on Wednesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, marking the Mercury’s first playoff win since the 2021 WNBA Finals. The best-of-three first-round WNBA playoff series now shifts back to Phoenix for a decisive Game 3 on Friday (TBD, ESPN2).

‘It’s a series for the reason,’ Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said. ‘We were disappointed in the way that we shot in the first game. We knew today was going to be a different day. We were just going to come out there for 40 mintues and give them everything we had.’

Five Mercury players scored double-digits in the win, led by Phoenix’s Big 3 — Thomas (15 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Satou Sabally (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals) and Kahleah Copper (14 points). DeWanna Bonner (14) and Kathryn Westbeld (10) combined for 24 of Phoenix’s 27 bench points.

The Mercury’s defense held the Liberty to 60 points, their second lowest total of the season, and made the defending champions look hapless on Wednesday. New York shot a season-low 30.2% from the field and 23.1 % from the 3-point line. None of New York’s starters scored double digit points.

There were questions surrounding Liberty forward Breanna Stewart entering Wednesday’s matchup after she suffered a MCL sprain in her left knee in Game 1. She was limited to six points in 20 minutes.

The Mercury outscored the Liberty in the paint (38-22) and in transition (20-2). The Liberty also gave up 15 turnovers for 30 Mercury points. Here’s a recap for Game 2 on Wednesday:

End of Q3: Mercury 69, Liberty 47

The Mercury’s lead swelled to as many as 24 in the third quarter and Phoenix is taking a 22-point advantage over the Liberty into the fourth quarter. New York shot 2-of-10 from the field in the third quarter, with the first field goal coming with 1:35 remaining in the quarter, in addition to 0-of-3 from 3.

Liberty forward Breanna Stewart is playing with a sprained MCL in her left knee. She’s been held to six points, two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes of play. Emma Meesseman is the only Liberty player to reach double-digits with 11 points off the bench.

Alyssa Thomas (15 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists), Satou Sabally (12 points, 4 assists, 4 steals) and Kahleah Copper (14 points, 2 rebounds) lead the Phoenix Mercury in scoring.

Halftime: Mercury 51, Liberty 37

The Phoenix Mercury dominated the second quarter, outscoring the defending champion Liberty 26-12 in the frame to take a 14-point lead into halftime. 

Phoenix’s big three — Alyssa Thomas (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Satou Sabally (12 points, 3 assists, 3 steals) and Kahleah Copper (12 points) — all have double-digit points in the first half. Phoenix’s bench added 12.

The Mercury’s defense has been smothering, holding the Liberty to 37.1% shooting from the field and 5-of-15 from the 3-point line. Phoenix is outscoring New York in the paint (24-12) and in transition (14-2). 

No Liberty player has reached double-digits yet. Sabrina Ionescu has a team-high nine points, four rebounds and two assists. 

What time is Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty?

The New York Liberty host the Phoenix Mercury for Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

How to watch Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty: TV, stream

• Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
• Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

Mercury forward Satou Sabally called for technical

Emotions are running high in Barclays Center as the Mercury fight for their season on Wednesday and tempers appeared to boil over, resulting in a technical foul for Mercury forward Satou Sabally. The technical foul was called with 1:53 remaining in the second quarter after Sabally and Liberty guard Natasha Cloud fought for possession of a loose ball. Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts called a timeout, but Sabally didn’t appear to be happy with Cloud’s level off physicality.

Phoenix Mercury goes on 15-0 run to take largest lead

The Phoenix Mercury went on a 15-0 run in the second quarter to take a 19-point lead over the New York Liberty, marking the largest of the game by either team. Phoenix is outscoring New York 24-5 in the second quarter with 2:48 remaining. Mercury forward Satou Sabally and guard Kahleah Copper are each up to 12 points.

End of Q1: Liberty 25, Mercury 25

We are all tied up after one quarter. The Liberty led by as many as six points, but the Mercury surged back to take the lead before the quarter ended with both teams at 25. 

“We came out like we don’t want our season to end,” said Kahleah Copper, who had a team-high six points in the first quarter. 

Seven different players scored for the Mercury, highlighting Phoenix’s league-leading depth. Alyssa Thomas added five points, three rebounds and two assists, while Kathryn Westbeld had five points off the bench. However, the Mercury’s struggles from beyond the arc continued. After going 6-of-26 from the 3-point line in Game 1, the Mercury have started 2-of-6 from 3. 

Liberty center Jonquel Jones has seven points, while Emma Meesseman added seven points and two rebounds in five minutes off the bench. However, New York has left some points on the board at the free throw line (2-of-7).

New York Liberty off to a fast start

Game 2 is underway and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones can’t miss, scoring eight of the Liberty’s 14 first-quarter points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 1-of-1 from the 3-point line. She’s also getting it done on the defensive end with two blocks. 

WNBA starting lineups today

Here are the starting lineups for Wednesday’s Game 2:

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

• 0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
• 2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
• 4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
• 8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon
• 25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland

New York Liberty starting lineup

Head coach: Sandy Brondello

• 9 Natasha Cloud | G 5′ 10′ – St. Joseph’s
• 13 Leonie Fiebich | F 6′ 4′ – Germany
• 20 Sabrina Ionescu | G 5′ 11′ – Oregon
• 30 Breanna Stewart | F 6′ 4′ – UConn
• 35 Jonquel Jones | C 6′ 6′ – George Washington

Is Breanna Stewart playing? New York Liberty forward injury update

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart told reporters during Wednesday’s shootaround that she was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in her left knee. She said she plans to play in Game 2, even though she is listed as questionable. — Elizabeth Flores

Phoenix Mercury injury report

The Phoenix Mercury have all players available for Game 2 on Wednesday.

Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty predictions

Who will win Game 2 in Brooklyn, New York? We asked the USA TODAY staff:

• Heather Burns: Liberty 83, Mercury 80
• Cydney Henderson: Mercury 89, Liberty 82

X factor: New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud 

Natasha Cloud called Phoenix home last year, and now she’s facing against her former team as a member of the New York Liberty. Cloud turned in a game-high 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in the Liberty’s 76-69 overtime win over the Mercury on Sunday. Cloud shot 9-of-12 from the field and 3-of-6 from the 3-point line and her nine field goals were the most she’s recorded for the Liberty this season.

New York Liberty arrive to Game 2 in style

The Liberty made a fashion statement heading into Game 2. Liberty forward Breanna Stewart rocked a briefcase because she means business, while Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison let every one know that the ‘WNBA been popping.’ Check out all the Liberty arrivals:

Spike Lee is in the house to cheer on Liberty

Game 2 between the Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty is sure to draw a star-studded crowd. New York superfan Spike Lee, who turned out to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center 90 minutes before tipoff. The Academy Award-winning director is a mainstay at New York sporting events and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s SuperFan Gallery in October 2024.

Emma Meesseman: New York Liberty forward stats

The addition of Emma Meesseman has yielded instant dividends for the New York Liberty, as she averaged 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 games (12 starts) in New York. Meesseman has championship experience — she won an WNBA title with the Washington Mystics in 2019 and was named WNBA Finals MVP.

Phoenix Mercury guard Satou Sabally stats

Sabally is looking to bounce back from a particularly rough shooting night in Game 1. She recorded nine points in the Mercury’s loss to the Liberty on Sunday, shooting 2-of-17 from the field and 1-of-10 from the 3-point line. Sabally averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 39 games (all starts), shooting 40.5% from the field and 32.1%.

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas stats

Thomas averaged 15.4 points, a league-leading 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 39 games (all starts) this season. The 33-year-old recorded eight triple-doubles this season, a WNBA single-season record. Thomas, who was traded to the Mercury in February following 11 seasons in Connecticut, nearly reached a triple-double in Phoenix’s Game 1 loss, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Phoenix Mercury guard Sabrina Ionescu stats

Ionescu averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 38 games (all starts) this season, shooting 40.1% from the field and a career-low 29.9% from the 3-point line. Ionescu had 16 points, seven assists and two blocks in Game 1, shooting 6-of-18 from the field and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty schedule

• Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69 OT
• Game 2: Mercury at Liberty, 8 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPN)
• Game 3: Liberty at Mercury, TBD Friday (ESPN2)

2025 WNBA Finals schedule

*if necessary

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The NWSL season is heating up, and with every team still in contention, the race to finish above the playoff line has become particularly intense.

Four teams — NJ/NY Gotham FC, Portland Thorns, San Diego Wave and Seattle Reign — are tied for third place on 30 points, while the defending champion Orlando Pride are just one point further back. Three points separate Racing Louisville (currently holding the eighth and final playoff position with 26 points) from 11th-place Angel City FC. The NWSL views its parity as a strength, and it’s looking like the 2025 season at the peak of women’s soccer will come down to the wire.

At the top of the table, the Kansas City Current could end the weekend as regular-season champions, while the Washington Spirit could secure a postseason berth with a win Thursday night coupled with an awful lot of help around the weekend. At the bottom, the Chicago Stars and Utah Royals need to maintain their improved recent form to keep their narrow hopes alive.

Here are kickoff times and how to watch this weekend’s NWSL games, as well as a breakdown of playoff clinching scenarios:

NWSL Matchday 21: Weekend schedule, times, how to watch

All times Eastern. Home teams listed first.

Thursday, Sept. 18

• Angel City FC vs. Washington Spirit, 10:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network, Fubo

Watch Angel City vs. Spirit on Fubo (free trial)

Friday, Sept. 19

• Houston Dash vs. Chicago Stars, 8 p.m. | NWSL+
• Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. | Prime Video
• Utah Royals vs. Racing Louisville, 10 p.m. | Paramount+

Watch Orlando Pride vs. NC Courage on Prime Video

Saturday, Sept. 20

• Kansas City Current vs. Seattle Reign, 7:30 p.m. | Ion
• Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. | Ion

Sunday, Sept. 21

• Bay FC vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2, ESPN+

Watch Bay FC vs. Gotham FC on ESPN+

What is the NWSL playoff schedule?

The NWSL regular season will end on Sunday, Nov. 2, with all 14 teams playing. After that, the postseason will play out on the following schedule:

• Nov. 7-9: Quarterfinals
• Nov. 14-16: Semifinals
• Nov. 22: NWSL Championship

NWSL playoffs format explained

The NWSL playoffs will see eight teams qualify, with an easy-to-follow format in place. In the quarterfinal round, the top four teams in the regular-season standings will host the other four teams that qualify for the postseason.

The four winning teams move onto the semifinals, with the higher-seeded team on each side of the bracket hosting. The NWSL playoffs do not re-seed after the quarterfinals. Finally, the two surviving teams will play in the 2025 NWSL Championship final.

All games will follow the norms of the sport: If scores are tied after 90 minutes, a given playoff game will go to a 30-minute extra time period (divided into 15-minute halves, with no ‘golden goal’ rule). Should the scores still be even after that, the teams will endure the tension of a penalty-kick tiebreaker.

NWSL playoff picture: If the season ended today …

We’re a long way from settling the NWSL playoff bracket, but if the postseason began today, this is what we’d see:

Home teams listed first.

Quarterfinals

• Quarterfinal 1: Kansas City Current (1) vs. Racing Louisville (8)
• Quarterfinal 2: Washington Spirit (2) vs. Orlando Pride (7)
• Quarterfinal 3: NJ/NY Gotham FC (3) vs. Seattle Reign (6)
• Quarterfinal 4: Portland Thorns (4) vs. San Diego Wave (5)

Semifinals

• Semifinal 1: Quarterfinal 1 winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner (higher seed hosts)
• Semifinal 2: Quarterfinal 2 winner vs. Quarterfinal 3 winner (higher seed hosts)

Final

• Final: Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner (final at PayPal Park in San Jose, California)

Who has clinched an NWSL playoff spot?

The Kansas City Current clinched a playoff spot in August and can finish no lower than second. After holding their closest challenge, the Washington Spirit, to a 0-0 draw last week, it’s a matter of when, not if, they’ll claim the NWSL Shield as 2025 regular-season champions.

If the Spirit (36 points) fail to defeat Angel City FC Thursday night, the Current (50) could be ready for a trophy lift Saturday evening at CPKC Stadium. If Washington were to tie or lose in Los Angeles, a Current win over the Seattle Reign this weekend would clinch the Shield for the runaway league leaders.

As for the Spirit, a win in LA could clinch a playoff spot, but only with a lot of help. Washington would need the Courage, Racing, and Dash to all lose later on the weekend to seal the deal. As North Carolina and Louisville face each other on Oct. 4, this set of results would guarantee the Spirit finish somewhere in the top eight.

2025 NWSL Playoffs: Who has been eliminated from contention?

NWSL’s bottom two teams, the Chicago Stars and Utah Royals, both avoided defeat last weekend. Both have 15 points, and while the playoff line is currently held by Racing Louisville (26), there are still 18 points on the table for all teams.

As such, neither is in danger of being eliminated from the postseason race this week, though a loss for either side in this 21st round of games could put them on the brink of mathematical elimination.

The Minnesota Lynx are headed back to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seed Lynx clawed their way back from a 17-point deficit to beat the Golden State Valkyries, 75-74, on Wednesday at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.

‘It was (a) tough game, closeout games are always so hard, especially in an environment like this,’ Lynx MVP candidate Napheesa Collier said postgame.

The Lynx will wait for their opponent. The Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday joined the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever in forcing Game 3s by thoroughly dismantling the defending champion New York Liberty, 86-60, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

It was the Mercury’s first playoff win since the 2021 WNBA Finals. It was the largest loss by the Liberty at home in their playoff history and the Mercury’s largest road win when facing playoff elimination.

Game 3 will be Friday in Phoenix at the PHX Center (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Liberty know they have to make changes if they want to advance to the semifinals and continue their title defense.

‘We can’t go out and play the same way we did and expect a different result,’ Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said. ‘We have to go out and make the adjustments and play like our season is on the line, because it is.’

Winners

Phoenix Mercury’s Big 3

The Mercury didn’t panic after their disappointing Game 1 loss to the Liberty. Instead, Phoenix geared up for a battle in New York. ‘The mindset is … go to New York and get it,” Kahleah Copper said on Sunday. That’s exactly what the Mercury did. Phoenix not only staved off elimination, it dominated the defending champs.

The Mercury’s Big 3 of Alyssa Thomas (15 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds), Satou Sabally (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals) and Copper (14 points, 2 rebounds) took charge. The trio of stars set the tone early and got all their teammates involved. The Mercury are 14-0 this season when their Big 3 scores 10 or more points each. There may have been questions about Phoenix’s future after the end of the Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner era, but the new lineup has the Mercury one win away from their first semifinal appearance since 2021.

Phoenix Mercury unicorn Satou Sabally

Mercury forward Satou Sabally turned in her worst shooting performance of the season in a Game 1 loss to the Liberty on Sunday, going 2-of-17 from the field and 1-of-10 from 3 at home. Sabally said she watched the film and took good shot attempts, despite the end result. “I’m a great player and I know that. That game was not who I am,” she said. Sabally came out aggressive and shot 5-for-11 and 2-for-4 from 3 on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points in the win. ‘We’re not done yet,” Sabally declared after the victory.

Resilient Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx are the first and only team to advance to the semifinals in two games after every other first-round playoff series went to Game 3. It wasn’t an easy feat as the Lynx found themselves down 17 points in a rowdy road environment. Minnesota could have easily thrown in the towel and looked forward to Game 3 at home, but the Lynx leaned into their experience in the comeback win. ‘I asked them not to quit,’ Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said. The Lynx now have three days rest before their semifinal series against the Mercury or Liberty, which begins on Sunday.

Golden State Valkyries’ first season

After the Valkyries suffered a one-point loss to the Lynx on Wednesday, and Golden State’s Cinderella season came to an end, the sold-out crowd at SAP Center in San Jose stood on their feet and emphatically chanted ‘GSV.’ It was a stunning display of support and highlights the expansion team’s wildly successful inaugural season, despite a quick playoff exit. WNBA Coach of the Year Natalie Nakase led the Valkyries to a playoff bid, becoming the first expansion team to make the postseason in its inaugural season. The Valkyries took the No. 1 seed down to the wire in Game 2 and were one jump shot away from notching their first playoff win.

Golden State also sold out each of their 22 regular-season games at Chase Center and set an all-time WNBA attendance record, welcoming 397,408 total fans and an average attendance of 18,064 this season. This is just the beginning for the Valkyries.

0-1 teams

Three of the four teams facing elimination in the first round of the WNBA playoffs forced a decisive Game 3. The Indiana Fever kicked things off with a 77-60 dismantling of the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, followed by the Seattle Storm snapping the Las Vegas Aces’ 17-game win streak in an 86-83 comeback win. The Phoenix Mercury continued the trend on Wednesday with an 86-60 rout of the defending champion Liberty. The Golden State Valkyries nearly forced a Game 3 against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, but ultimately suffered a one-point loss. 

Heading into the 2025 WNBA postseason, there were three total first-round Game 3s in over four years of this format. Now, WNBA fans will be treated to three Game 3s across Thursday and Friday alone.

Losers

Everything about the New York Liberty

The defending champion New York Liberty looked … well, beatable. The Liberty were held to 60 points, their second lowest total of the season, in Wednesday’s loss. After making 10 field goals in the first quarter, the Liberty had nine the rest of the game. New York shot a season-low 30.2% from the field, 23.1% from the 3-point line and 16-of-25 from the free throw line. 

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello had seen enough by the fourth quarter and pulled a majority of her starters, essentially waving the white flag. None of New York’s starters scored in double-digits. The Liberty squandered their chance to close out the Mercury on their home court. New York not only has to travel cross-country to Phoenix (again), it has given its opponent lots of confidence heading into Game 3. To make matters worse, the Minnesota Lynx closed out the Valkyries and will be rested for the winner of this series.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu

Ionescu was not a factor in Game 2. She was 3-of-13 from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line. To add insult to injury, Ionescu was 2-of-6 from the free throw line. Entering Wednesday, Ionescu had not missed more than two free throws in a single game in her career. Ionescu is shooting 93.3% from the free throw line this season and 91.3% in her entire career.

‘We can’t go out and play the same way we did and expect a different result,’ Ionescu said. ‘We have to go out and make the adjustments and play like our season is on the line, because it is.’

Barclays Center

The Barclays Center caught several strays in the Mercury’s postgame on Wednesday. Following the Mercury’s win over the Liberty, Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally both mentioned how quiet it was in the Liberty’s arena. “I didn’t think it was loud to start. I was shocked. I was expecting us to have to deal with the crowd and courtside people, but it was quiet,” Copper said. Sabally added that PHX Arena will be “louder than” New York as the series shifts back to Phoenix for a decisive Game 3. To be fair, the Liberty didn’t give their fans much to cheer for, but it remains to be seen if these comments will serve as bulletin board material. Sorry, Spike Lee.

Breanna Stewart’s knee

Breanna Stewart opted to play through an MCL sprain her left knee, but the New York Liberty forward looked like a shell of herself. She was held to six points in 20 minutes, shooting 2-of-6 from the field and 0-of-1 from the 3-point line. It’s an unfortunate development for Stewart, who previously missed 13 regular season games with a bone bruise in her right knee. There’s questions surrounding Stewart’s health and the Liberty’s ability to challenge the Mercury without her at full strength.

1-0 teams

Aside from the Minnesota Lynx, three teams failed the close out their opponent in the first-round.

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AI-assisted summary
• The Miami Dolphins have started their 2025 season with an 0-2 record, increasing pressure on the team’s leadership.
• Upcoming nationally televised games against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will intensify scrutiny on the team’s performance.
• Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s late-game interception and offensive miscues contributed to the Week 2 loss against the Patriots.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL — The Miami Dolphins are one of the teams to start 0-2 in 2025, but the booming noise around their abysmal start will only get louder with nationally televised matchups in the next two weeks.

The Dolphins will visit Josh Allen and the big, bad Buffalo Bills (especially against them) on ‘Thursday Night Football’ to begin Week 3, where a 0-3 start almost feels like a certainty. Miami will be in prime time again 11 days later hosting the New York Jets on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 4 on Sept. 29.

Whether or not it’s enough time for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to make wholesale changes, the hot seat will only get hotter for coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier, while shortcomings from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and embattle receiver Tyreek Hill will be amplified if their struggles continue.

Some Dolphins fans voiced their displeasure by flying a banner that read “Fire Grier. Fire McDaniel” above Hard Rock Stadium before the team succumbed to a 33-27 loss to the New England Patriots at home on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Tagovailoa had an overthrow, endured a false start and a sack, and tossed an interception on the final drive – after running back De’Von Achane stepped out of bounds on a potential game-winning touchdown.

“We had the opportunity to win the game, and we robbed it from ourselves,” McDaniel said as his job security was questioned two games into his fourth season, following a 33-8 drubbing to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1.

Whether they scored and won or not, any chance for the Dolphins to relish or celebrate their first win of the season would have dissipated quickly before their next opponent.

Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, is 13-2 against the Dolphins since he was drafted by the Bills in 2018.

Simply put, Allen and the Bills have become the AFC East nightmare for the Dolphins like Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots were for the previous 20 years.

This is the big picture reason why the Dolphins have the longest playoff win drought in the NFL – their last in a 2000 AFC wildcard game, the first season when quarterback Jay Fielder and coach Dave Wannstedt took over for a retired Dan Marino and former coach Jimmy Johnson.

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The Dolphins have reached the postseason twice under McDaniel – falling in the wildcard round to the Bills in 2022 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023. They failed to make the playoffs with an 8-9 record last season.

While Grier acknowledged Miami has reset its roster following the departures of standouts like Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, Calais Campbell and Terron Armstead, Miami’s 0-2 start lingers with baggage from 25 years of gloom, heightened with every regular-season loss that weighs heavily on this current cast of Dolphins – unfairly or not.

“I’ve seen a team that is trying to do everything they can to win, and coming up short, and pressing forward and trying to change that result,” McDaniel said to begin the week.

“Pressure is opportunity … Obviously, we don’t want to be 0-2. We look at it as fuel to the fire,” added Hill, who had 109 yards against the Patriots, including a 47-yarder which snapped a personal streak of 371 days without a catch longer than 30 yards.

The Dolphins have been unable to weaponize Hill offensively like they did in 2023, when the former Chiefs star led the NFL in touchdown catches and receiving yards in his first season in Miami.

Tagovailoa – who was 26 of 32 for 315 yards with two touchdowns – cited procedural issues offensively on the final drive, which resulted in his fourth turnover and the first 0-2 start of his six-year NFL career.

“Anyone who knows football and anyone who doesn’t know football just knows that was not clean and that was not right, what we were doing at the end of the game,” Tagovailoa said. “We’ll get that fixed, communicate that to those guys, and we’ll move forward from there.’

Added McDaniel: “With the game on the line, our communication and our substitution was not up to par, and ultimately, I hold all responsibility for all things. I will make sure that things that should already be ironed out moving forward. We will not fall victim to the same thing again.”

The Dolphins defense has allowed a field goal or touchdown on 13 of 15 drives excluding kneel downs through two games. They allowed the Colts to score on every drive, and saw the Patriots punt just twice – the first on a drive with three New England penalties, and the second after a poor snap led to a 3^rd and 26.

While Miami’s Malik Washington returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown, the Patriots answered with Antonio Gibson’s 90-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kick – the turning point before Tagovailoa’s end-game miscues.

“It’s a short week. You get this one out your head, learn from it, grow from it, and we got another divisional opponent we’ve had fits with in the past,” Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb said.

Pressure is mounting for McDaniel, Tagovailoa, Grier and the Dolphins.

Their glaring miscues have led to a disappointing start in McDaniel’s fourth season, and will only be amplified in prime time in the next two weeks.

“If I worry about my job security, then I’m not doing my job,” McDaniel said.

Added Tagovailoa: “It’s one of those deals where you can never get too high in this league. You can never be too low. You’ve just got to continue to stick to your process, stay even keel, trust the guys, continue to bring those guys along.”

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