The playoffs are giving us total main character energy
Real talk: the 2026 WNBA playoffs are not playing games. We’ve reached the final four, and the semifinals kicked off on Sunday with some serious plot twists. The Dream took down the Liberty 92-82, and the Valkyries absolutely smothered the Aces with a 71-60 win.
Both the Liberty and the Aces are arguably the most proven squads in the bracket, so seeing them drop Game 1 is a massive mood. It’s highkey stressful for the winning teams too, though—the Dream’s Allisha Gray and the Aces’ Jewell Loyd both exited their games with health concerns, so we’ll have to see if they’re back on the court for Game 2.
The road to the Final Four
It’s been a wild ride to get here. The eighth-seeded Liberty made a huge statement by knocking out the top-seeded Lynx in the first round. The Dream punched their ticket to their first semifinal since 2018 by sweeping the Mystics, while the Aces handled business against Caitlin Clark and the Fever. The Valkyries also secured their spot after a legendary 16-point comeback against the Wings.
Why it matters
This season has been a W across the board. After a massive labor deal bumped the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million, the talent really leveled up. Between Caitlin Clark’s 40-point/10-assist game, Angel Reese’s 26-rebound record, and Kelsey Mitchell shattering the single-season points record, the bar is set incredibly high. With a couple of days off before Game 2 on Wednesday, the pressure is officially on. Say less—the next round is going to be unmissable.
