How Valkyries Can Choose Their Playoff Opponent in Lynx Game
The Golden State Valkyries play the last game of their debut season before the playoffs against the Minnesota Lynx Thursday night, and playoff implications hang in the balance.
The Valkyries clinched a playoff spot in general a week ago after a comeback win over the Dallas Wings, but since then exactly where they are in the playoffs and who they'll be facing has been up in the air.
For a while the Valkyries have held the sixth seed in the playoff standings. That changed after their Tuesday night loss to the Seattle Storm, which clinched a playoff spot for the Storm and dropped the Valkyries back down to the seventh seed while the Indiana Fever went back ahead of them again.
SEATTLE TAKES DOWN GOLDEN STATE TO CLINCH THE FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT 🔥
— espnW (@espnW) September 10, 2025
The Storm are heading to the 2025 WNBA playoffs ‼️ pic.twitter.com/XqEtiV7CvQ
The Valkyries, Fever, and Storm are all separated by just one full game, and whatever the result of the Valkyries' game Thursday night can shake up the whole bracket.
How the Valkyries Can Impact the Playoff Picture
The Valkyries are currently 23-20. With a win over the Lynx, they would have a matching 24-20 record with the Fever, the current sixth seed. In that instance the Valkyries would then overtake the Fever for the sixth seed due to a record tiebreaker, as the Valkyries are a perfect 3-0 against the Fever this season.
However, if the Valkyries lose against the Lynx, they would then have a matching 23-21 record with the Storm.
The tie breaker in that instance is trickier. The Valkyries and Storm are tied 2-2 against each other this season, so record alone wouldn't settle their playoff spots. In that case, the tie breaker then goes to which team had a better overall record against teams above .500, or winning teams, this season. In that case, the tie goes to the Storm, and the Valkyries would be the eighth seed.
How the Aces Can Affect the Playoff Picture
The Valkyries aren't the the only team still deciding their playoff seeding on Thursday night.
The Las Vegas Aces have also yet to set their seeding in stone, though their position is admittedly better off than the Valkyries.
The Aces are currently the third seed in the playoffs, and with a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night, they could bump themselves up one.
A win over the Sparks would match the Aces' record with the current second-seed Atlanta Dream. In that case, the Aces would take the tie-breaker and improve to second as they have a perfect 3-0 record over Atlanta.
This battle between Las Vegas and Atlanta also has ripple effects on Golden State.
No matter what, the Valkyries will no longer be the seventh seed after Thursday. If they lose and drop to eighth, they are guaranteed to face the Lynx again in the first round of the playoffs.
However, if they improve to the sixth seed, then they will face whoever ends up as the third seed. That would be Las Vegas should the Aces lose against the Sparks, and Atlanta should the Aces win.
The Valkyries have managed a single win against both the Aces and the Dream this season, so a higher seeding for Golden State is preferable. The real test would be a matchup against the powerhouse Lynx, who they have dropped every game against so far this season.
For now, the Valkyries' fate is both in their own hands and that of the Aces.
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Bio: Jack Haslett is a writer and photographer covering Golden State Valkyries basketball for Sports Illustrated. Jack has previously published work with the Sporting Tribune, the Long Beach Current and DIG Magazine, covering sports, community events and news. A graduate from Long Beach State University, Jack has a passion for writing, photography and all things sports.