Image Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

2025 WNBA Playoffs Picture: Golden State Valkyries Tighten Playoff Grip, Fever Slide to 8th as Intense Battle Continues

The intense battle for playoff spots continue in the WNBA!

Image Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The 2025 WNBA playoffs race is getting as exciting as it can! Five teams have booked their respective berths, but the bottom half of the standings still remains chaotic. What looked like certainty has changed drastically in a matter of few days with unexpected wins and unexpected losses. The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Indiana Fever to complete their season sweep. With the win, they replaced the Fever in the sixth spot of the standings.

This is not it! But the Valkyries have further tightened their grip by registering another notable win over the New York Liberty. On Tuesday, September 2, the Valkyries defeated the reigning champions 66-58 to push their tally to 22-18. The Indiana Fever, on the other hand, suffered their consecutive loss as the Phoenix Mercury got better of them 85-79.

The @valkyries defeated the Liberty 66-58 👏

Temi Fágbénlé dominated the paint to lead her team to victory! She had 16 PTS (70% FG), 5 REB, 2 AST & 2 STL!

The Golden State Valkyries win their fourth game in a row and guarantee themselves a .500 record in their inaugural… pic.twitter.com/CZWjwAF6Ft
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 3, 2025

The defeat pushed the Fever to eighth spot in the standings, hanging their playoff dreams by a thread. What makes the situation more difficult for them is that the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks are trailing them by just one game. Though it sounds challenging, in case the Sparks record enough wins and Fever suffer more losses, the latter would be kicked out of the playoffs contention.

What Next for Golden State Valkyries?

The Valkyries will lock horns with the Dallas Wings in their next game on Thursday, September 4. If they manage to take the Wings down, and the Atlanta Dream defeat the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, then the Valkyries would book themselves a playoff berth. With this, they would also become the first expansion team to make the postseason in its inaugural season.

Following the Wings’ match, they would lock horns with the Minnesota Lynx in two of their last three games. In addition, they also have a game scheduled against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, September 9.

On the other hand, for the Indiana Fever to book themselves a spot, Stephanie White’s team needs to win all of its remaining three games. It would boost their record to 24-20, and guarantee them a playoff spot, as the Sparks have some challenging games scheduled ahead and it wouldn’t be possible for them to win them all.

2025 WNBA Playoffs

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.