How have the Atlanta Dream fared against their potential playoff opponents?
The eight WNBA playoff teams are mathematically locked. However, there is still plenty of time for playoff seedings to change, based on regular season game results after the FIBA Women’s World Cup concludes.
Atlanta currently sits in a tie with the Indiana Fever for fourth place in the WNBA standings with identical 26-14 records, behind the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, second-year Golden State Valkyries, and reigning champion
Las Vegas Aces. The New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, and Dallas Wings sit two games behind the Dream and Fever with matching 24-16 records.
Overall, the Dream have a 9-11 record (a .450 winning percentage) against the seven playoff teams, while earning a 17-3 record (a .850 winning percentage) against the seven non-playoff teams who have all been mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
Below are my entirely personal and subjective rankings of “which team would I least like to see the Atlanta Dream play in the playoffs?” With each team, I am including the 2026 history between the teams including the overall record, individual results, and total point differential of all games played. I begin with the team I would most like to see Atlanta face in a playoff matchup (ranked no. 7 on the below list) and conclude with the team I would least like to see Atlanta face in a playoff matchup (ranked no. 1 on the below list).
#7 Dallas Wings
- Current Place/Record: 8th place (24-16)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 3-0
- Game Scores:
- May 12: 77-72 Win
- May 22: 86-69 Win
- July 29: 82-81 Win
- Total Point Differential: +23
- Notes: Dallas is one of just two playoff teams that Atlanta has had a winning record against in 2026. Although all three games took place before August, with the closest matchup coming in the final matchup between the two teams, the Dream seemed to match up well with Dallas. Additionally, the Wings will be without their number one overall pick, guard Azzi Fudd, who was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season in mid-August following a knee procedure.
#6 Washington Mystics
- Current Place/Record: 7th place (24-16)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 1-2
- Game Scores:
- June 6: 109-77 Win
- July 2: 81-76 Loss
- August 7: 79-74 Loss
- Total Point Differential: +22
- Notes: The last two matchups against Washington were disappointing losses. The Dream shot incredibly poorly in both. However, a regression to the mean for Atlanta’s field goal percentage should allow them to perform more like they did in their easy June victory over the Mystics. It looked like Washington would have an opportunity to rest and practice as a full team over the FIBA break due to limited participation from Mystics players in the international tournament. However, two young Washington stars in Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron were invited to join the USA roster after injuries to A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum.
#5 New York Liberty
- Current Place/Record: 6th place (24-16)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 0-1
- Game Scores:
- June 11: 104-90 Loss
- Two games left to play, in New York, on September 21 and September 23
- Total Point Differential: -14
- Notes: In an unusual scheduling twist, the Dream and Liberty have two of their three matchups in the final two games of the regular season. The Liberty have seen Sabrina Ionescu return to their starting lineup and improve her production in the second half of the WNBA season. Although Satou Sabally will miss the remainder of the season due to a lingering head injury, the Liberty are still star-studded with international talent playing alongside perennial contenders in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.
#4 Indiana Fever
- Current Place/Record: 5th place (26-14, tied with Atlanta for 4th)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 2-2
- Game Scores:
- June 4: 83-71 Loss
- June 18: 108-101 Win
- June 20: 113-96 Win
- August 16: 95-91 Loss (OT)
- Total Point Differential: +8
- Notes: Matching up with the Indiana Fever would potentially take away home-court advantage from the Atlanta Dream in their State Farm Arena playoff games. The Fever have also been in great form recently behind Kelsey Mitchell record-setting streak of 24 straight games scoring 20-plus points. To put it mildly, the conversation and attention around a potential matchup between these teams’ stars, particularly after Atlanta’s signing of DeWanna Bonner, would be an intense national sports story.
#3 Minnesota Lynx
- Current Place/Record: 1st place (31-9)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 2-1
- Game Scores:
- May 9: 91-90 Win
- May 27: 96-81 Loss
- August 30: 89-81 Win
- Total Point Differential: -6
- Notes: In Atlanta’s first two games against Minnesota, Lynx star Napheesa Collier was out recovering from offseason surgery. Although the Dream showed that they could play to Minnesota’s level when they defeated the Lynx in their final game before the FIBA Women’s World Cup break, Minnesota has consistently been the top team in the league throughout the season, thanks to the performance of rookie Olivia Miles, the resurgence of Natasha Howard, and the return of Collier.
#2 Las Vegas Aces
- Current Place/Record: 3rd place (27-13)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 1-2
- Game Scores:
- May 17: 85-84 Loss
- August 3: 109-87 Loss
- August 18: 97-82 Win
- Total Point Differential: -8
- Notes: While Atlanta was able to get an impressive win against the Aces in mid-August, Las Vegas has been Atlanta’s kryptonite for several seasons. If these two teams match up in the post-season, the Aces will miss contributors Chennedy Carter (who was waived from the team in July) and NaLyssa Smith (who suffered a season-ending leg injury in late August).
#1 Golden State Valkyries
- Current Place/Record: 2nd place (29-11)
- Atlanta Record vs. Team: 0-3
- Game Scores:
- June 24: 77-66 Loss
- June 26: 78-75 Loss
- July 4: 88-83 Loss
- Total Point Differential: -19
- Notes: Coach Natalie Nakase won Coach of the Year in the Valkyries’ debut season in 2025, beating out Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko. Nakase has continued to rub salt in the wound throughout the 2026 season, sweeping the three-game season series against Atlanta with their stifling defense and deep bench. If Atlanta faces the Valkyries, new addition DeWanna Bonner could play a significant role in helping off the bench and providing offensive spacing to bring a new look against a formidable opponent.
