The playoff qualification battle comes down to the final games of the season. Golden State Valkyries secured its place with three games left in the season, while Indiana Fever HC Stephanie White delivered a bold message following playoff qualification just before the regular season finale. Now, the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm battle for the final spot, with three games pending between them.
While the LA franchise holds a slight edge over the Storm team, there is a special condition that will allow them to qualify for the playoffs.
Los Angeles Sparks In ‘Tricky’ Situation
The final phase of the season is where consistency shows its real value. The Minnesota Lynx became the first team to qualify for the 2025 playoffs with their consistent efforts throughout the season. The same can’t be said about the Los Angeles Sparks.
Though they made a strong push for qualification in the second half of the season, their poor record in the first half and some losses in the second half put them in a tricky situation. After game number 41, the Sparks needed to win all remaining games to stay competitive in the qualification race.
They recorded a win over the Wings, cutting down the required wins to two, but still rely on the result of the Seattle Storm’s game. The only positive thing in the qualification scenario was their 3-1 season series record against the Storm, allowing them to rank above the Seattle side.
Only one WNBA playoff spot remains with the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks jockeying for the 8th and final seed 👀
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 9, 2025
The Sparks have 2 games left and needs to win out to secure the 8th seed, while hoping the Storm, who have 1 game left, lose tonight at home against the… pic.twitter.com/bz9j4Sqh39
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While Seattle takes on the Golden State Valkyries, the Sparks have more difficult competition. Lynne Roberts’ team will face the Phoenix Mercury and surging Las Vegas Aces before wrapping up the regular season. The Sparks won just one game against each side in the season.
Tough Takers For First Round Eighth Seed- Los Angeles Sparks Or Seattle Storm
The issue with finishing eighth in the league is the tough road ahead in the postseason. Though a team gets a chance to play in the playoffs, they never get home-court advantage in any series, and the road to the final is toughest right from the start. Moreover, no lowest-ranked team has won the WNBA championship yet, with the Charlotte Sting becoming the only lowest-seeded team (fourth at the time) to make it into the WNBA finals.
Whether the Sparks or Storm advance to the playoffs, they will face the league leaders, the Minnesota Lynx, in the first round. The Lynx won every game against the Sparks in the 2025 season, while the Storm split the four meetings against the Lynx in 2025.
It will be interesting to watch either side taking on the top contender of the 2025 WNNBA championship, but first, they have a task at hand to win their respective games to enter the playoffs.