Updated WNBA Playoff Bracket Picture 2026 After Sunday's Results

The 2026 WNBA playoffs tipped off Sunday with a full slate of games.

Each of the eight qualifiers was in action. The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx opened the proceedings with the No. 8 New York Liberty.

In a best-of-three format, dropping Game 1 can be very costly, though three of the four first-round series from 2025 required a winner-take-all Game 3. In two of those matchups, the Game 1 loser went on to advance.

Playoff Bracket Predictions for Every Series 🔮

Caitlin Clark posts career low in blowout loss

Here's an overview of the action from a busy Sunday.

Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m. ET

Dallas Wings vs. Golden State Valkyries, 9 p.m. ET

The 2026 regular season was arguably the quietest Liberty star Breanna Stewart had since entering the league in 2016. She rarely factored into the MVP race, and her team slipped to eighth in the standings.

The eight-time All-Star may have fed off the general skepticism surrounding New York as she was magnificent in a 91-75 upset of the Lynx. She finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Liberty are a much different proposition when Stewart is playing this well.

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, however, will come away thinking her players can't perform much worse in Game 2.

Veteran stars Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride combined for 26 points, and Olivia Miles looked like a rookie appearing in her first playoff game. The dynamic guard shot 3-of-12 from the field and had four turnovers to one assist.

The Lynx dug themselves out of an early hole and led 44-40 at halftime. But the Liberty were the sharper unit to open the third quarter, and Minnesota never managed to find a groove.

You'd trust Reeve and her staff to make the necessary adjustments for Game 2.

Not to be outdone, Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson delivered a performance illustrating why she's likely going to lift a fifth WNBA MVP before too long.

The Aces center went off for 38 points and added 16 rebounds to earn her 26th double-double all time in the postseason. The Fever simply had no answer for her as she shot 15-of-19 from the field and knocked down both of her long-range attempts.

Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young also combined for 35 points and 18 assists. Las Vegas was plus-27 with each of those two players on the floor.

Only seven players scored from the Aces, but their lack of depth doesn't matter much when the trio of Wilson, Gray and Young are this effective.

The Fever won't stand much of a chance, either, when Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark combine to shoot 10-of-33.

Aliyah Boston has her hands full with fellow South Carolina legend Wilson. She can only anchor the offense so much. The backcourt is where Indiana could have a scoring edge, but that wasn't the case Sunday.