Wnba playoff games schedule

The WNBA Playoffs were recently reconfigured and will include three rounds of series-play using a best-of format.

The eight teams with the highest winning percentages regardless of conference will qualify for the postseason, and be seeded based on their record. All eight playoff teams will participate in first-round, bracket-style play consisting of four best-of-three series. Share this page:.

In the other bracket, the No. Additional elements regarding the playoff structure are as follows:. TV schedule, live streams to watch U. By James Herbert. Nov 18, at pm ET 2 min read. Getty Images. From the league's official announcement : Beginning with the WNBA's 26th season, the eight teams with the highest winning percentages over a game schedule regardless of conference will qualify for the playoffs and be seeded based on their record.

Watch Now:. Add in a longer postseason up to 13 games, compared to a maximum of 10 for teams with double byes beforehand and the longer regular season expanding from 34 games to 36 , and I suspect we'll see more teams resting stars at the end of the regular season rather than pushing for every win.

Voepel: The format of the first round -- with the better seed hosting Games 1 and 2, and the lower seed hosting Game 3 if necessary -- could be a problem. A series sweep means that the lower-seeded team doesn't get a playoff game at home.

But if the series goes the distance, the decisive game has the better-seeded team on the road. And that's not a good set-up, either. The old format initially had the first game of the best-of-3 series hosted by the lower seed, then the last two hosted by the better seed.

That had its issues, too, because the team with the superior record had to open on the road. Then in , the league went to the most fair format for a best-of-three series: , which was used for the conference semifinals and conference finals. Under this current format, though, would add even more travel, which is tough since the semifinals are now best-of If the league can't go to , then might be the better option than Under , both teams are guaranteed a home game, although it does put the better seed at more risk of being swept.

Voepel: This was a big concern for coaches I talked to during the season who were pretty sure the playoff changes were coming. With an All-Star Game, the Commissioner's Cup and the expanded regular season, that's a lot of games in a compact time frame.

The concern is keeping players as healthy as possible, and travel takes a toll. We saw more back-to-back games in the same place this past season to limit some of the travel, and we can expect more of that. And coaches will have to be smart about load management. You still want to get as high a seed as possible, but with the byes for no longer in play, resting players might be deemed more important.

Pelton: The first time a better seed goes on the road for Game 3 and loses, we'll likely hear how unfair it was for them and change will come.