Lead
The Seattle Storm rallied to beat the Golden State Valkyries 76-73 on Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena, securing the final spot in the 2024 WNBA postseason and eliminating the Los Angeles Sparks. Seattle erased an early deficit with a 14-4 run at the start of the fourth quarter and held on when Erica Wheeler hit a crucial 16-foot jumper with under 20 seconds remaining. The Sparks won their game 88-83 over the Phoenix Mercury, but the result was not enough to overtake Seattle. With the regular season closing, the playoff bracket and seeding are now set heading into the Sept. 14 start date.
Key Takeaways
- Seattle Storm defeated Golden State Valkyries 76-73 to claim the eighth and final playoff berth in the WNBA regular season.
- Erica Wheeler’s late 16-foot jumper with less than 20 seconds left proved decisive; Janelle Salaun missed two potential game-winners in the final possession.
- Los Angeles Sparks beat Phoenix Mercury 88-83 but were eliminated from postseason contention and will miss the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
- Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 25 points and nine rebounds; Rae Burrell scored a career-high 20 points off the bench.
- Alyssa Thomas recorded her eighth triple-double of the season for Phoenix with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss.
- Las Vegas Aces continued their surge with a 92-61 win over the Chicago Sky, improving to 29-14 and extending a long winning run.
- The WNBA regular season standings now place Minnesota Lynx at 33-10 with the top seed; the full bracket is set for a Sept. 14 playoff start.
Background
The final regular-season weekend featured direct elimination scenarios for multiple teams. Seattle and Los Angeles entered Tuesday night with the last playoff spot effectively on the line: the Storm could clinch with a win, while the Sparks needed a combination of results to overtake Seattle. The WNBA’s expanded postseason formats — a best-of-three first round (1-1-1), best-of-five semifinals and a first-ever best-of-seven Finals — have raised the stakes for seeding and matchup preparation this year.
Golden State’s Valkyries arrived in the playoffs as the first expansion franchise to reach postseason play in its inaugural season, a notable milestone for the league. Across the West, the Aces and Lynx jockeyed for top seeding late in the schedule, with the Aces’ long win streak influencing potential second-seed scenarios. Outside of seeding implications, several teams were managing player workloads and injuries as they prepared for a compressed playoff calendar beginning Sept. 14.
Main Event
The Storm fell behind early against the Valkyries and appeared to hand a lifeline to the Sparks with inconsistent stretches in the second and third quarters. Seattle responded aggressively to open the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run that erased the deficit and shifted momentum in front of a packed Climate Pledge Arena. The sequence set up a tense finish, with Golden State getting multiple late looks at a go-ahead basket.
In the closing seconds, Erica Wheeler found space for a 16-foot jumper with under 20 seconds remaining that put Seattle ahead for good. The Valkyries, chasing a historic first-season playoff berth, attacked on the following possession: Janelle Salaun had two chances — a layup and then a 3-point attempt — but missed both, and Wheeler collected the final rebound to secure the outcome. The 76-73 final gave the Storm sole control of the eighth seed.
Earlier that same night the Sparks completed an 88-83 victory over the Phoenix Mercury. Dearica Hamby finished with 25 points and nine rebounds while Rae Burrell’s bench explosion produced a career-high 20 points. Despite those performances, Golden State’s and Seattle’s result rendered the Sparks’ win insufficient for postseason qualification.
Analysis & Implications
Seattle’s late offensive surge and defensive stands in the final minute underscored the gap between marginal playoff teams and those still finding consistency. Clinching the final spot gives the Storm a short turnaround to prepare for a matchup with the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, who finished 33-10 and will host the first game under the 1-1-1 first-round format. Matchup preparation will be critical for Seattle, which must balance rest and practice while scouting a Lynx squad that posted the league’s best record.
For the Sparks, the elimination ends a five-year playoff streak and raises immediate questions about roster construction and offseason direction. Los Angeles displayed capable scoring depth in Tuesday’s win, but the season-long consistency necessary to secure a playoff place fell short by two games in the standings. Management faces decisions about returning core contributors and potential upgrades to close margins next season.
The Aces’ continued dominance—improving to 29-14 with a 92-61 win over Chicago—complicates the upper seeding battle. Las Vegas entered Tuesday holding the tiebreaker over Atlanta because of head-to-head wins, and a continued win streak could lock the Aces into the No. 2 seed. Seeding differences between 2 and 3 matter for bracket path and potential conference matchup dynamics later in the postseason.
Comparison & Data
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 33-10 |
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 29-14 |
| 3 | Atlanta Dream | 29-14 |
| 4 | Phoenix Mercury | 27-16 |
| 5 | New York Liberty | 26-17 |
| 6 | Golden State Valkyries | 23-20 |
| 7 | Indiana Fever | 24-20 |
| 8 | Seattle Storm | 23-21 |
The table above reflects the standings with the Storm clinching eighth and the Sparks (21-22) falling to ninth. If final games remain unchanged, the first-round matchups will pair 1 vs. 8 (Lynx vs. Storm), 2 vs. 7 (Aces vs. Fever), 3 vs. 6 (Dream vs. Valkyries) and 4 vs. 5 (Mercury vs. Liberty). The first round is a three-game series (1-1-1), the semifinals best-of-five, and the Finals will expand to best-of-seven for the first time; the playoffs begin Sunday, Sept. 14.
Reactions & Quotes
Team and league reaction emphasized the emotional stakes of the late-season outcomes and the milestone for Golden State. Players and team accounts highlighted individual efforts while acknowledging the narrow margins that decided postseason access.
“A game like that shows how every possession matters; we battled until the final buzzer.”
Seattle Storm (team statement)
Seattle’s staff framed the win as a collective effort in late-game execution and rebound control, pointing to Wheeler’s shot and the defensive rebound on the final attempt as turning points. The Storm now shift focus to scouting and recovery ahead of a short lead-in to the playoffs.
“We gave everything; it’s tough to be this close in our first season but take pride in what we built.”
Golden State Valkyries (team statement)
The Valkyries’ organization and supporters emphasized the franchise’s historic achievement of reaching postseason contention in its inaugural year while expressing disappointment at the narrow miss. Local coverage and fan reaction framed the season as foundational despite the final-game outcome.
Unconfirmed
- There are circulating social-media reports about potential minor roster changes for the Storm before the playoffs; those reports have not been confirmed by team officials.
- Early bracket projections and betting lines for first-round series are still preliminary and may shift once final injury reports and official seedings are finalized.
Bottom Line
The Storm’s 76-73 win over the Valkyries secured the eighth seed and bumped the Sparks from the postseason picture, drawing a hard line under a regular season of narrow margins. Seattle now faces a quick transition from regular-season survival to preparing for a top-seeded Minnesota squad, with matchup planning and recovery the immediate priorities.
Golden State’s inaugural playoff push stands as a significant franchise milestone despite the close finish, while the Sparks must reassess after a season that ended just short of another postseason berth. With playoffs beginning Sept. 14 under a mix of short series and extended Finals, every matchup and seed will carry amplified strategic importance.