A first-round upset, a rally from 16 down, and plenty of drama defined the opening night of the WNBA playoffs. The New York Liberty knocked off the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, while the Golden State Valkyries won their first-ever series by rallying from behind. The Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces also advanced through hard-fought victories. Here is how every team in the first round graded out.
Liberty Sweep the Lynx
The Liberty entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed and the laughingstock of the league. They had lost key players to injury, struggled through the regular season, and looked like a team headed home early. Then they went out and beat the best team in the league.
The Liberty swept the Lynx, taking both games by 16 points. That series made New York the first No. 8 seed in league history to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the opening round. The team’s size, length, and physical play were too much for Olivia Miles, who looked like a rookie again for the first time all season.
Across the two games, the Liberty were behind for only three minutes and 23 seconds total. That level of command is unusual in the playoffs, and it resulted in an A+ grade.
Stewart and Ionescu Lead the Charge
Throughout the series, Breanna Stewart played with great skill. In Game 1, she posted the fourth 30-point, 10-rebound, five-assist playoff game in WNBA history. Sabrina Ionescu provided her with plenty of support, even though she had not been playing at her usual level since coming back from an injury.
Ionescu had 18 points and seven assists in Game 2, and shot 7 of 18 from 3-point range (38.9%) in the series. Her return to form was crucial. If she can keep playing like this, the Liberty’s chances improve dramatically.
Dream Defend Their Way Through
The Atlanta Dream came away with the victory, though it was hardly an elegant one. Their opponents were the Washington Mystics, a team known for playing a physical style, and the Dream met that intensity head-on, matching them point for point.
After joining the Dream in late August and playing just five regular-season games, DeWanna Bonner seized control of the third quarter in Game 1, turning a double-digit deficit into a 17-point victory. The Dream also came away with a win in Game 2, holding off a late push from the Mystics.
Defensively, the Dream were dominant. They forced 26 steals, blocked nine shots, and held Washington to 39.7% shooting. Angel Reese, in her first season with the Dream and first-ever playoff series, was a big part of that success, along with Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada.
The franchise ended its run of three straight first-round exits with its first multi-game playoff series win since 2013. That accomplishment earns it an A- despite the struggles of recent years.
Aces Win Again, Barely
The Aces are chasing a repeat, and their opening-round run almost ended in disaster. Down 12 in the second half of Game 3, they trailed the Fever before rallying to hold a two-point edge with under three minutes left on the clock.
From that point, they outscored the Fever 12-3 to advance. All 12 of those points came from their Big Three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray. That trio was responsible for 213 of the Aces’ 285 points (74.7%) and 47 of their 56 assists (83.9%) in the series.
The Aces managed to get the job done, though they did not fully convince anyone. Looking back to the start of the 2025 playoffs, this marks the third time in four series that they had to push through to the edge. Last year, they needed a game-winning shot from Young in Game 3 of the opening round, and then pushed into overtime in Game 5 of the semifinals.
Their grade reflects that consistency of pressure: B.
Valkyries Rally From 16 Down
The Valkyries won their first playoff series ever in the most thrilling way imaginable. They trailed by 16 points in the middle of the third quarter of Game 3, during a stretch where they didn’t score for nearly seven minutes while missing 15 straight shots in a row.
The team rallied to defeat the Dallas Wings, with Gabby Williams delivering the decisive score in the closing 90 seconds before securing the victory at the line. It marked an extraordinary turnaround for a squad that had endured a difficult campaign throughout the season.
In Game 1, the Valkyries took control of the series. Had it not been for a couple of improbable shots from Arike Ogunbowale in Game 2, they would have won the whole thing and entered the semis feeling very good about themselves. Instead, they were pushed into a do-or-die Game 3.
The team’s attack, a worry throughout the whole campaign, delivered the kind of performance that many had feared. Their celebrated back line did not play at its usual level for most of the contest, and Game 3 served as a harsh reminder of the problems they face on offense, particularly when their 3-point attempts — which they take more than any other squad — fail to fall.
Wings Fall Short
The Dallas Wings were the clear underdogs in their series. They were just 7-14 against playoff teams this season, and no one gave them a chance against the Valkyries.
Though they battled fiercely and prolonged the series, they fell short at the end. The C+ grade shows a group that performed well enough to hold its own against stronger talent, yet could not quite close the gap.
What the Grades Mean
The Liberty’s A+ is the highest grade in the league. They were the only team to complete a first-round sweep, and they did it while winning both games by 16. The Dream’s A- is the second-highest, and it reflects a team that played tough, physical basketball and finally broke through after years of disappointment.
The Aces and Valkyries both earned B grades. The Aces got the job done but were pushed to the brink, while the Valkyries rallied from 16 down but showed offensive issues that had plagued them all season.
The Wings ended up at the bottom of the standings with a C+, the weakest team in the opening round, and their record against playoff teams this season confirmed how they measured up.
Comparing the Teams
| Team | Round Result | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| New York Liberty | Swept No. 1 Lynx | A+ |
| Atlanta Dream | Swept No. 7 Mystics | A- |
| Las Vegas Aces | Won in three games vs. Fever | B |
| Golden State Valkyries | Won in three games vs. Wings | B- |
| Dallas Wings | Lost in three games vs. Valkyries | C+ |
Semifinal Schedule
On Sunday, the semifinals kick off with Game 1 of both series. The pairings are:
- Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces
- New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream
According to FanDuel, the Liberty carry the worst odds to take the championship at +430. Yet of the four teams left standing, they posted the strongest performance during the opening round.
The playoffs have barely started, and the drama has already begun.
Source material: “Grading every team in the WNBA playoff's first round: Liberty finally show up, Lynx make disastrous history,” CBS Sports.
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