WNBA Playoffs Open With Upsets, Superstar Performances and Major Awards
September 28, 2026 | I Am Refocused Radio News
The 2026 WNBA postseason wasted little time delivering a message: regular-season seeding will not guarantee an easy road to the championship.
The playoffs opened Sunday with all four first-round series taking the floor, highlighted by a major upset from the New York Liberty, dominant performances from A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, a convincing start for the Golden State Valkyries, and Atlanta taking control of its series with Washington.
Meanwhile, the league began announcing its end-of-season awards Monday, with Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles and Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve receiving major honors.
Liberty Shock No. 1 Minnesota
The biggest result of opening day came in Minnesota.
The eighth-seeded New York Liberty defeated the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx 91-75, immediately putting the league's top regular-season team on the brink in the best-of-three opening round.
Breanna Stewart delivered the kind of postseason performance that can change an entire series.
Stewart finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, shooting 11-of-18 from the floor. According to CBS Sports, it was only the fourth 30-point, 10-rebound, five-assist performance in WNBA playoff history.
Minnesota actually led 44-40 at halftime, but New York changed the game defensively after the break. The Liberty held the Lynx to 31 second-half points while controlling the glass and disrupting Minnesota's offense.
The result carries added weight because the WNBA's first round is only a best-of-three series.
Game 2 shifts to New York on Tuesday, September 29, meaning the No. 1 seed is already facing elimination.
A’ja Wilson Opens the Playoffs With 38 Points
The defending champion Las Vegas Aces looked every bit like a team prepared for another deep postseason run.
Las Vegas defeated the Indiana Fever 102-85 behind another extraordinary performance from A’ja Wilson.
Wilson scored 38 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, while also contributing four blocks and two steals.
The performance tied Wilson's playoff career high in scoring and rebounding. It also gave her a sixth career 30-point, 10-rebound playoff game, the most in WNBA history, according to CBS Sports.
The victory continued a remarkable stretch for Las Vegas. The Aces entered the postseason after winning their final seven regular-season games and are attempting to defend the championship they won in 2025.
Indiana will host Game 2 Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, with its season on the line.
Atlanta Makes Its Move
The Atlanta Dream also opened the postseason with authority, defeating the Washington Mystics 92-77.
Rhyne Howard led Atlanta with 26 points and five steals, while Angel Reese recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds in the first playoff game of her WNBA career.
Atlanta entered the postseason as the No. 4 seed after winning its final five regular-season games and finishing 30-14.
Washington's season has still represented one of the league's most significant turnarounds. The Mystics improved from 16-28 in 2025 to 28-16 this season with one of the youngest rosters in WNBA history.
The series moves to Washington for Game 2 Wednesday night.
Golden State Sends a Message
The Golden State Valkyries delivered Sunday's largest victory.
Golden State defeated the Dallas Wings 104-80, using a massive 37-11 second quarter to take control.
Cecilia Zandalasini scored 22 points for Golden State.
Dallas guard Paige Bueckers produced an efficient playoff debut despite the loss, finishing with 21 points while shooting 9-of-10 from the field.
Golden State's rise has been particularly noteworthy.
After becoming the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs during its inaugural 2025 season, the Valkyries improved to 32-12 this year and earned the No. 2 seed. Their defense finished first in the league during the regular season, allowing 75.1 points per game.
Game 2 takes place Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.
Olivia Miles Wins Rookie of the Year Unanimously
Even after Minnesota's difficult playoff opener, Monday brought major recognition for one of the franchise's brightest young stars.
Olivia Miles was unanimously named the 2026 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 set new WNBA rookie records with 790 total points and 22 games of at least 20 points. Her scoring total surpassed Caitlin Clark's rookie record of 769 points established in 2024.
Miles was selected second overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft and quickly became a central part of a Minnesota team that finished with the league's best regular-season record at 33-11.
The challenge now is translating that historic rookie season into a postseason response with Minnesota facing elimination.
Cheryl Reeve Makes Coaching History Again
Minnesota also claimed the league's top coaching honor.
Cheryl Reeve was named WNBA Coach of the Year for a record fifth time, extending the record she already held.
Reeve received 40 of 74 votes, ahead of Golden State's Natalie Nakase with 20 and Washington's Sydney Johnson with 14.
Reeve guided Minnesota to a 33-11 record and the No. 1 seed despite an uneven start to the year. After opening 2-2, the Lynx won 20 of their next 24 games.
She also became the WNBA's all-time leader in regular-season coaching victories earlier this season, earning career win No. 380 on July 8. Reeve finished the regular season with 397 career victories.
The Championship Picture Has Already Changed
Sunday's results created four very different pressure points.
New York's victory is the most disruptive. The No. 8 seed now has an opportunity to eliminate the league's No. 1 team on its home floor Tuesday.
Las Vegas has quickly demonstrated why the defending champions remain dangerous, particularly with Wilson producing at an historic postseason level.
Golden State's depth and defense translated immediately to the playoffs, while Atlanta showed that its strong finish to the regular season was not simply momentum without substance.
The first round also leaves almost no room for recovery.
Under the current format, opening-round series are best-of-three, followed by best-of-five semifinals and a best-of-seven WNBA Finals.
That means one bad night can quickly become an elimination game.
For Minnesota, Indiana, Washington and Dallas, the next contest is no longer about establishing rhythm.
It's about keeping the season alive.
For New York, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Golden State, one more victory means a ticket to the next round.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs have only been underway for one day, but the postseason has already begun rewriting the story of the season.
Sources and full links
WNBA — 2026 First Round Playoff Preview and Schedule
https://www.wnba.com/news/2026-playoffs-series-preview-first-round
WNBA — Olivia Miles Unanimously Named 2026 Rookie of the Year
https://www.wnba.com/news/miles-named-2026-rookie-of-the-year
WNBA — Cheryl Reeve Named 2026 Coach of the Year
https://www.wnba.com/news/reeve-named-2026-coach-of-the-year
WNBA — New York Liberty 91, Minnesota Lynx 75
https://www.wnba.com/watch/video/game-recap-new-york-liberty-91-minnesota-lynx-75-09-27-2026
WNBA — Las Vegas Aces 102, Indiana Fever 85
https://www.wnba.com/watch/video/game-recap-las-vegas-aces-indiana-fever-09-27-2026
WNBA — Golden State Valkyries 104, Dallas Wings 80
https://www.wnba.com/watch/video/game-recap-golden-state-valkyries-104-dallas-wings-80-09-27-2026
Dallas Wings — Wings Fall to Valkyries in Game 1
https://wings.wnba.com/news/wings-fall-to-valkyries-in-game-1-of-playoffs
CBS Sports — WNBA Playoffs Game 1 Analysis
https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/wnba-playoffs-winners-losers-game-1-sept-27/
WNBA — Latest News and Playoff Recaps
https://www.wnba.com/news