Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are set to make their WNBA postseason debuts while Caitlin Clark returns to the playoffs after missing last season because of injury.
asserted
Clark → set → injury
The WNBA postseason begins Sunday with four first-round matchups.
asserted
postseason → begin → matchups
Clark’s Fever face A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces in a rematch of last season’s semifinals.
asserted
Fever → face → semifinals
Reese and the Atlanta Dream will play the Washington Mystics.
asserted
Reese → play → Mystics
Bueckers’ Dallas Wings will take on the Golden State Valkyries, and New York will face Minnesota in a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch.
asserted
York → take → rematch
Reese spent the first two years of her career in Chicago before going to the Dream in an offseason trade.
asserted
Reese → spend → trade
She flourished in her new surroundings, once again leading the league in rebounding and continuing her emergence as one of the top defenders in the WNBA.
asserted
She → flourish → WNBA
Bueckers has put together a solid season to help the Wings get back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
asserted
Wings → put → 2023
Here are others things to watch this postseason:
Building a contender in Golden State
The Valkyries have taken the WNBA by storm in their first two years of existence.
asserted
taken → watch → existence
Golden State became the first expansion squad to make the playoffs last year and is now the No. 2 seed in the postseason.
asserted
State → become → postseason
The Valkyries have gone 17-5 at home this year, best in the league, in part because of the average crowd of over 18,000 they draw for games at Chase Center.
asserted
they → go → Center
Golden State has done it with stellar defense.
asserted
State → do → defense
The Valkyries led the league in defensive rating, points allowed and 3-point defense.
asserted
Valkyries → lead → rating
They also shoot the 3-point extremely well, making the most 3s on the season with 10.4 a game.
asserted
They → shoot → 10.4
It’s undergone a few iterations, including having the higher-seeded team host the first two games.
asserted
team → undergo → games
Now each team is guaranteed at least one home game with a 1-1-1 format.
asserted
team → guarantee → format
The coaches would love to see the first-round series expand to a best-of-five format.
asserted
series → love → format
Last season was the first the league had gone to a best-of-seven and Las Vegas swept Phoenix in four games.
asserted
Vegas → go → games
“I just love the idea.
asserted
I → love → idea
I mean, look at these eight teams that are in the field.
asserted
that → mean → field
Great basketball, and you should go as long as you can.
asserted
you → go → ?
Like I said, that’s where the money is.
asserted
money → say → ?
So I would like to see that.
asserted
I → like → that
Get a new commissioner and kind of get the competition committee on that type of thing, I think we’re all in favor of that,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.
asserted
Reeve → get → that
Actually this season it’s kind of rather disappointing to have just three games for these teams that are going to be playing each other, for sure.
asserted
that → ’ → other
But that’s maybe the next step, the evolution of our league.
asserted
that → ’ → league
Where to find the games
With the new media rights deal that began this season, the playoffs will be broadcast across ESPN, NBC, USA Sports, Amazon Prime and Peacock.
asserted
playoffs → find → ESPN
From 2016 to last season, ESPN had the rights to all the postseason games.
asserted
ESPN → have → games
ESPN, Prime and USA Sports will have the first round.
asserted
ESPN → have → round
ESPN, NBC and Peacock will have the semifinals.
asserted
ESPN → have → semifinals
NBC and USA Sports will broadcast the WNBA Finals with games also streaming on Peacock.
asserted
games → broadcast → Peacock
ESPN had shown every WNBA Finals from 2003-25.
asserted
ESPN → show → 2003
Officials working the postseason
Roy Gulbeyan will be working his 27th consecutive playoffs this season dating to his postseason debut in 2000, according to the website “thewhistlewire”.
uncertain
Gulbeyan → work → website
The WNBA doesn’t release how many postseason appearances officials have.
asserted
officials → release → appearances
The league will have 17 officials work the postseason as well as three alternates.
asserted
officials → have → postseason
“We are pleased to recognize this group of officials for their on-court achievements and their dedication to their craft with a selection to work the 2026 WNBA Playoffs,” said Bethany Donaphin, Head of WNBA League Operations.
asserted
Donaphin → please → Operations
“Qualifying for the postseason and serving the game at this important part of the season is a goal for WNBA officials just as it is for players and coaches.”
asserted
it → qualify → players
The Aporia
