For the first time in league history, the WNBA Finals shifts to a best-of-seven format in 2025. Previously, the championship round was decided in a best-of-five, and before that, an even shorter series determined the winner. This change brings the WNBA Finals in line with other major professional leagues, offering fans more games and giving teams more room to compete through more aggressive adjustments.
With the 2024 champions, the New York Liberty, and the 2025 season’s No. 1 seed, the Minnesota Lynx, eliminated in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, respectively, the playoffs are full of surprises. The last two standing — the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury — are two franchises with multiple championship wins but who have never faced each other in the finals in the WNBA’s 29 seasons.
Meet the Mercury
The Mercury punched their ticket to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021, going 3-1 against the No. 1 seed, Lynx, in the semifinals. Phoenix made history along the way as the first team ever to come back from multiple 14-point deficits in a single playoff series. Veteran forward Alyssa Thomas led the charge in Sunday’s decisive win, dropping a team-high 23 points to help the Mercury’s comeback and secure their spot in the championships.
What makes this run special? It’s the first time in decades the Mercury have reached the Finals without Diana Taurasi, who officially retired in February 2025 after a 20-year career with Phoenix, and without center Brittney Griner, who departed to Atlanta in free agency. This is Phoenix’s first trip to the Finals in four years, and they will try to win their first championship since 2014.
Even with the Mercury’s veteran presence, the rebuild was far from easy. The team has embraced an underdog mentality. Rookie guards Sami Whitcomb, Kathryn Westbeld and Monique Akoa Makani kept the team afloat when injuries disrupted the start of the season. By early August, veteran forward Satou Sabally mentioned she believed the Mercury were operating at only 80% of their potential, hoping the group could piece things back together before the postseason.
Clearly, they did. The midseason signing of veteran wing DeWanna Bonner, after a brief stint with the Indiana Fever — who was eliminated in Tuesday’s semifinal by the Aces — transformed the team’s dynamic. Bonner’s connection with Thomas, Sabally and guard Kahleah Copper has turned the Mercury into a force at just the right time.
Meet the Aces
The two-time champion Aces, led by head coach and former player Becky Hammon and 2025 league MVP forward A’ja Wilson, are a recent powerhouse with their 2022 and 2023 titles. The Aces bring a wealth of WNBA Finals experience. Veteran guard Chelsea Gray and Wilson have each earned Finals MVP honors, guard Jackie Young has played a pivotal role in the team’s previous championship runs and guard Jewell Loyd brings the experience of two titles from her time in Seattle.
Even with this team’s star power, they have struggled to close out games this season and playoff run. They were nearly upset by No. 7 seed Seattle in the first round, pulling out a Game 3 victory 74-73. Then, it took overtime in Game 5 of the semifinal for them to get past Indiana, despite the Fever’s heavy depletion to injury and foul trouble. This Aces team has shown cracks in pressure situations, but it’s hard to believe they would let anyone blow them out.
The Aces secured forward NyLassa Smith in a midseason trade with the Dallas Wings, a move that proved perfectly timed for the team and Smith. For Las Vegas, the addition bolstered their depth in the frontcourt, giving them another strong rebounder and versatile scorer to complement Wilson.
For Smith, the trade offered a fresh start on a championship-caliber roster, where she could showcase her skills without carrying the heavy load she had in Dallas. The fit is seamless, with Smith’s energy and adaptability strengthening the Aces’ rotation at just the right moment in their push for another title.
A competitive series
In the regular season, Las Vegas went 3-1 against the Mercury with all but one game decided by single digits. The Mercury that Las Vegas last saw during the regular season is nothing compared to the team that is peaking right now. The Finals are shaping up to be just as competitive, and the team that dictates pace and handles the pressure in late-game moments will win.
This series will hinge heavily on Wilson. Against Phoenix, she averaged 25 points and leads the league in rebounds, steals and blocks. Her presence on both ends of the floor — as a scorer, defender and leader — makes her the most important factor for the Aces. If Wilson is locked in, Las Vegas is hard to stop.
For Phoenix, the key lies in the chemistry between Bonner and Thomas. Their inside-out connection has powered the Mercury’s postseason run. If they can continue to control the paint, opening opportunities for Copper and Sabally and kick out to Whitcomb for her 3-point range, the Mercury have the tools to pull off the upset. They have the postseason momentum for a win and thrive in elimination situations.
Ultimately, the Finals will come down to which superstar asserts herself most — Wilson for the Aces or Thomas for the Mercury — unless a surprise star steps up.
Only three WNBA teams have four championships, including the disbanded Houston Comets, Storm and Lynx. Mercury wants to join that group. Tipoff for Game 1 is on Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.
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