WNBA Playoffs 2026: The WNBA playoffs are in full swing, and two teams are one game away from making the WNBA Finals.
In the Eastern Conference Championship, the Atlanta Dream hold a 2-0 lead against the New York Liberty. The Dream, coming in as a No. 4 seed, swept the No. 5 Washington Mystics in the first round and have continued to find their stride against New York. The Dream's dominance is driven by their core four of Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Angel Reese, all averaging over 15 points per game in the playoffs, though the team has managed to thrive despite Gray missing Game 2 and being ruled out for Game 3. The Dream are on an active 10-game win streak, including their final few regular-season games. The last time the Dream made a WNBA Finals appearance was in 2013, but that drought could end Friday night with a sweep on the road at Barclays Center.
In the Western Conference Championship, the Golden State Valkyries are in the same position as the Dream, as they also hold a 2-0 lead against the Las Vegas Aces. Valkyries star guard Gabby Williams has been the backbone of this team all year and has continued her dominance in the playoffs, averaging 24 points per game. The Valkyries were able to defeat the No. 7 Dallas Wings in the first round, despite losing Game 2 in a back-and-forth battle. But since their Game 3 thriller, the Valkyries have used their momentum to get two wins against the Aces, who are led by none other than five-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson. The Valkyries have already made history in multiple ways this year and are looking to continue that on Friday with a sweep and a WNBA Finals appearance for the first time in franchise history.