It is the final day of the WNBA regular season and we still have a lot to sort out.
The top eight teams – the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings – are locked into the postseason. But, with five games to be played on Thursday, Sept. 24, four seeds are up for grabs.
The Lynx got the No. 1 seed on Tuesday, Sept. 22. But after losing to the Indiana Fever, 96-77, Minnesota backed in when the Valkyries lost to the Portland Fire later in the evening.
The Dream earned the No. 4 seed and homecourt for the first round by defeating the New York Liberty, 83-65, on Wednesday, Sept. 23. That game also locked the Wings in at No. 7 and Liberty at the No. 8 seed.
So, by our count, the No. 2, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 seeds are still up for grabs.
With so much at stake let's take a look at each team's seeding scenario heading into games on Thursday.
WNBA seeding scenarios
Minnesota Lynx (32-11)
Locked: No. 1 seed
The Lynx have gone 1-4 over their last five games but had a big enough advantage in the standings headed into the final stretch of the season that there was room for the stumble. Even with the No. 1 seed, Minnesota needs to improve on defense to have chance at its first title since 2017.
Golden State Valkyries (31-12)
Best seed: No. 2
Worst seed: No. 3
The Valkyries control their own destiny heading into the season finale against the Los Angeles Sparks. Win and they are the No. 2 seed.
No. 2 seed:
- Win or Aces loss
No. 3 seed:
- Loss and Aces win
Las Vegas Aces (30-13)
Best seed: No. 2
Worst seed: No. 3
The defending WNBA champs have won six straight and face the Mercury, the team they beat in the Finals last season, in their last regular-season game on Thursday. They would need a win and a loss by the Valkyries to get the No. 2 seed.
No. 2 seed:
- Win and Valkyries loss
No. 3 seed:
- Loss or Valkyries win
Atlanta Dream (30-14)
Locked: No. 4 seed
The Dream, who have won nine of 10, claimed homecourt for the first round of the playoffs by beating the Liberty in their final regular-season game on Wednesday.
Indiana Fever (28-15)
Best seed: No. 5
Worst seed: No. 6
If the Fever want to a chance at the No. 5 seed, they need to do what the did on Tuesday and beat the Minnesota Lynx in their final game of the season on Thursday. Indiana has won four of its last five.
No. 5 seed:
- Win and Mystics loss
No. 6 seed:
- Loss and Mystics win
Washington Mystics (27-16)
Best seed: No. 5
Worst seed: No. 6
While Washington is out of contention for homecourt, it could earn the No. 5 seed by beating the Chicago Sky in the final game of the season on Thursday. But, the Lynx need to beat the Fever for that to happen.
No. 5 seed:
- Win and Fever loss
No. 6 seed:
- Win and Fever win
Dallas Wings (27-17)
Locked: No. 7 seed
The Wings have won seven of eight, including a victory over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday. The Liberty's loss on Wednesday locked Dallas into the No. 7 seed.
New York Liberty (26-18)
Locked: No. 8 seed
The Liberty lost the final two games of the season to the Dream. They were without Breanna Stewart in the regular-season finale on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA playoff seeding scenarios: What's still at stake on final day of regular season?
