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WNBA playoffs 2025: How the Fever, Storm, Mercury and Valkyries can avoid getting bounced in Game 2

Sunday was an absolute feast for basketball lovers. With more than eight hours of WNBA playoffs, we saw one overtime, two teams dropping more than 100 points on their opponents, three MVP candidates and four games to get us closer to the championship. Minnesota, New York, Atlanta and Las Vegas now each have a one-game lead in the best-of-three first round. Can they take care of business and close out their series?

Before we move on to Game 2s, below is a look at what we learned from each Game 1 and what we can look forward to in the potential clinchers on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Atlanta Dream at Indiana Fever

Game 2: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

What stood out in Game 1

Playing a postseason game at home for the first time since 2018, the Atlanta Dream looked like they were straight up having fun. Four players scored in double digits, led by Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray with 20 each. The Dream pushed the pace and had six blocks. Sure, “good vibes” is not a measurable statistic, and fun on the court doesn’t necessarily correlate with winning. But the Dream played in a way that made it look like they could have kept playing for hours, and that kind of mindset is tough to beat.

What needs to happen for the Fever to extend the series in Game 2

Honestly, what Indiana needs is to find a supernatural elixir or a magic wand to heal their many injured players. Game 1 showed that the Fever are in desperate need of an outside shooter, and Caitlin Clark, one of the league’s best, had to watch the game in street clothes on the bench.

Without some mystical intervention, the Fever need someone who can score who isn’t named Kelsey Mitchell. Aliyah Boston averaged 15 points per game in the regular season. Natasha Howard had 11.4. They both fell short of their potential in Game 1, with Howard scoring 5 and Boston getting 8. They'll need to figure out how to score — even over Dream center Brionna Jones — in Game 2, or their season will be over.

Las Vegas Aces at Seattle Storm

Game 2: Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET

What stood out in Game 1

The Aces continued their 17-game steamroll in Game 1, and the Storm could not figure out a way to stop them. It’s not just that the Aces won, it’s that they won efficiently. Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon understands that the playoffs are a marathon, and she was able to spread out the work. Only one player was on the court for more than 30 minutes, and that was A’ja Wilson, who scored 29 points in 30:17. Five different players scored in double digits. Every person on the roster played at least four minutes, and that involvement will help the Aces in a long playoff run.

What needs to happen for the Storm to extend the series in Game 2

The Storm did have a few bright spots in Game 1. Gabby Williams scored 16, and 19-year-old Dominique Malonga scored a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in her first career playoff game. But for the Storm to have a chance, they need more than Williams and Malonga. Both Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins have extensive playoff experience, and they should be leading their team in high-stakes games like this.

Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty

Game 2: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET

What stood out in Game 1

In my notes from Game 1, I wrote, “I want this series to go 100 games.” The players likely wouldn’t agree with me, but this game was special, high-level basketball. It was tight throughout, and some of the league’s best players stepped up. The lead changed 15 times, and the score was tied at 12 different points in the game. Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper reminded the world why they each have a WNBA Finals MVP trophy sitting at home. In the end, New York was fresher and more competitive in the overtime period to give them the win.

What needs to happen for the Mercury to extend the series in Game 2

Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts needs to go deep on film and come up with ways to make sure more players can get involved in key parts of the game. When the Mercury had the ball with 49 seconds left in a tie game, Alyssa Thomas tried to drive in the paint to score and was met with a wall of New York defenders. Sixteen seconds later, after Phoenix had a timeout, Thomas again drove to the paint and was unsuccessful, and the game went into overtime.

Thomas is an MVP candidate with incredible playoff experience, but she’s far from the only person who can score under pressure on this Phoenix team. Copper, Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner have all played in big games with the world watching. Why put the ball back in Thomas’ hands and try a play that hadn’t worked just seconds before? This series is too close, and Tibbetts needs a better plan to make sure a stellar season doesn’t end on Wednesday.

Minnesota Lynx at Golden State Valkyries

Game 2: Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET

What stood out in Game 1

The Lynx’s balanced attack made it difficult for Golden State, a team that has built its season on defense, to stop them. Alanna Smith got into foul trouble early — no worries. Jessica Shepard stepped up and gave the team 12 points and 8 rebounds. Bridget Carleton didn’t need to score much as Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride both had hot hands. Five different Lynx players scored in double digits, led by Napheesa Collier with 20 points.

What needs to happen for the Valkyries to extend the series in Game 2

Minnesota has incredible depth, and the Lynx’s reserve players accounted for 42 of the team’s 101 points on Sunday. The Valkyries shortened their bench, and their reserves scored just 17 points. Outside of Kate Martin, no one from Golden State’s bench played more than 20 minutes.

While it’s not odd for a team to expect starters to play more minutes in the postseason, Golden State isn’t like most teams. They don’t have a core of stars to carry the scoring load. Their bench was third in the WNBA in scoring with 24.3 points per game. To send the series to a game three, Golden State shouldn’t abandon the philosophy that got them to the playoffs in their first season.

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