WNBA Playoffs: 4 hot takes from Day 1

The first day of the WNBA Playoffs concluded with four games, each resulting in decisive victories for the higher-seeded teams. The Minnesota Lynx (#1) defeated the Golden State Valkyries (#8) 101-72, the Atlanta Dream (#3) beat the Indiana Fever (#6) 80-68, the New York Liberty (#5) won against the Phoenix Mercury (#4) 76-69 in overtime, and the Las Vegas Aces (#2) triumphed over the Seattle Storm (#7) 102-77.

Game 2 of the first-round series is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, where the Lynx, Dream, Liberty, and Aces will have an opportunity to secure a 2-0 series victory and advance. Conversely, the Valkyries, Fever, Mercury, and Storm must win to stay alive in the playoffs, as the first round is a best-of-three series, leaving little room for error.

One notable storyline from Day 1 was the Seattle Storm's disappointing performance against the Las Vegas Aces. Seattle fell behind by double digits in the first quarter and ultimately lost by 25 points, raising questions about their readiness despite having a talented roster that includes four 2025 All-Stars: Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, and Brittney Sykes, along with key contributors like Erica Wheeler, rookie Dominique Malonga, and interior defender Ezi Magbegor.