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WNBA News Today: Aces and Liberty Eye First-Round Sweeps as Playoff Pressure Rises

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September 29, 2026 | WNBA News

The 2026 WNBA Playoffs have barely begun, and the postseason is already delivering pressure, history and some enormous individual performances.

Two first-round series could end Tuesday night. The defending champion Las Vegas Aces travel to Indiana with a 1-0 lead over the Fever, while the eighth-seeded New York Liberty return home after stunning the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx.

Behind those elimination games, Atlanta and Golden State each carry commanding momentum into Wednesday's Game 2 matchups.

And while the playoffs take center stage, the league has also begun announcing its major end-of-season awards, with Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles collecting one of the year's biggest honors.

A'ja Wilson and the Aces Put Indiana on the Brink

Las Vegas looked every bit like a defending champion in its postseason opener.

A'ja Wilson erupted for 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks as the Aces defeated Indiana 102-85 in Game 1 Sunday.

Wilson matched her playoff career highs in both scoring and rebounding. Jackie Young added 21 points and 10 assists, while Chelsea Gray contributed 14 points and eight assists.

Indiana had five players score in double figures. Aliyah Boston led the Fever with 18 points, while Caitlin Clark finished with 15 points and 10 assists.

Now the series moves to Indianapolis.

Game 2 tips Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. Central, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A Las Vegas victory sends the Aces into the semifinals. An Indiana victory forces a decisive Game 3 Thursday in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas entered the postseason having won its final seven regular-season games, and Sunday's performance extended that momentum into the playoffs. The Aces finished the regular season 31-13 and entered the bracket as the No. 3 seed.

Indiana has one advantage it can point toward: the Fever won two of three meetings with Las Vegas during the regular season, including both games played on the Aces' home floor.

But after Wilson's Game 1 eruption, Indiana's immediate challenge is finding a way to prevent Las Vegas from controlling the paint and pace again.

New York Stuns No. 1 Minnesota

The biggest surprise of the opening round came in Minneapolis.

New York defeated the No. 1-seeded Lynx 91-75, turning what looked on paper like a difficult first-round assignment into an opportunity to eliminate the league's top regular-season team Tuesday night.

Breanna Stewart delivered 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, along with two steals and two blocks.

The Liberty became the first No. 8 seed in WNBA history to defeat a No. 1 seed in a playoff game. Stewart also became the first player in league history to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a playoff game.

New York was especially devastating after halftime, shooting 63 percent from the field in the second half and scoring 51 points.

Now the pressure shifts completely to Minnesota.

Game 2 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. Central, Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Minnesota entered the playoffs with the WNBA's best regular-season record at 33-11.

One more Liberty victory would turn that achievement into one of the shortest postseason stays imaginable.

Olivia Miles Wins Rookie of the Year Unanimously

Even as Minnesota faces elimination, one of its young stars has already made league history.

Lynx guard Olivia Miles was unanimously named the 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, receiving all 74 votes from the national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Miles averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.2 percent from the field.

She also established WNBA rookie records with 790 total points and 22 games with at least 20 points.

Her 790 points surpassed Caitlin Clark's previous rookie record of 769 from 2024.

Miles' rookie season was a major part of Minnesota earning the No. 1 playoff seed, making Tuesday's elimination game an interesting collision between individual achievement and postseason urgency.

Cheryl Reeve Adds Another Coach of the Year Award

Minnesota also claimed another major league honor.

Cheryl Reeve was named the 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year, receiving 40 of 74 votes.

It is the fifth Coach of the Year award of Reeve's career, extending her own WNBA record. Golden State's Natalie Nakase finished second in the voting, followed by Washington's Sydney Johnson.

Reeve guided the Lynx to a league-best 33-11 regular-season record.

But postseason basketball has little patience for regular-season trophies. Minnesota now has to win Tuesday in Brooklyn simply to extend its season.

Golden State Makes a Loud Playoff Statement

The Golden State Valkyries didn't merely win their first playoff game.

They exploded.

Golden State defeated Dallas 104-80 in Sunday's opener, recording the highest-scoring game in franchise history.

Cecilia Zandalasini led the Valkyries with 22 points, Gabby Williams added 20 and Tiffany Hayes provided 21 off the bench.

Golden State broke the game open with a 37-11 second quarter and carried a 58-31 advantage into halftime.

For Dallas, Paige Bueckers delivered an impressive playoff debut despite the loss.

Bueckers finished with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting and six rebounds. Her 90-percent field-goal percentage was the third-highest in WNBA playoff history among players with at least nine made field goals, according to the Wings.

Game 2 shifts to Texas on Wednesday.

Golden State visits Dallas at 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. Central on ESPN. A Valkyries win would send the second-year franchise into the semifinals.

Atlanta Takes Control Against Washington

Atlanta also enters Wednesday one victory away from advancing.

The Dream defeated Washington 92-77 in Game 1 after overcoming an early 11-point deficit.

Rhyne Howard finished with 26 points and five steals, Allisha Gray scored 22, and Angel Reese recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds in her first WNBA playoff game.

Jordin Canada added 10 points and 11 assists.

Atlanta's defense transformed the game during the third quarter and helped the Dream take control.

The series resumes Wednesday in Washington at 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. Central.

Atlanta can close the series with a victory. Washington needs a win to force Game 3 Friday back in Atlanta.

Upcoming WNBA Playoff Games

Tuesday brings the two immediate elimination games: Las Vegas at Indiana followed by Minnesota at New York.

Wednesday shifts the spotlight to Atlanta at Washington and Golden State at Dallas.

If necessary, Game 3s for the Aces-Fever and Liberty-Lynx series are scheduled for Thursday, October 1. Potential deciding games in the Dream-Mystics and Valkyries-Wings series would follow Friday, October 2.

The WNBA semifinals are scheduled to begin Sunday, October 4.

The Bigger Picture

The first round has created an unusual contrast.

The defending champion Aces look dangerous again, with Wilson immediately producing one of the postseason's defining performances.

Meanwhile, the No. 1 seed is suddenly facing elimination after New York delivered the opening round's biggest upset.

Golden State is attempting to turn a remarkable second season into a deep postseason run. Atlanta is trying to move beyond the first round for the first time since 2018. And Indiana, Dallas, Minnesota and Washington are already playing basketball with no margin for error.

That is the beauty and cruelty of the WNBA's best-of-three opening round.

One bad night can change an entire season.

By the end of Wednesday, the semifinal picture could look considerably clearer.

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