The 2021 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the WNBA's 2021 season. The Chicago Sky won their first WNBA championship.
Format
Following the WNBA regular season, the top eight teams in the overall league standings, without regard to conference alignment, qualified for the playoffs and were seeded from one to eight. Seedings were based strictly on regular-season record. The team with the best record received the #1 seed, the team with the next best record received the #2 seed, and so on. The top two seeds earned double byes (i.e., advanced directly to the semifinals), while the next two seeds received first-round byes.
These seedings were used to create a bracket that determines the matchups throughout the playoffs. The first round of the playoffs consisted of two matchups based on the seedings (5-8 and 6-7). The two winners advanced to the second round with a matchup between the number three seed and the lower of the advancing seeds and another matchup between the number four seed and the other first round winner. The winners of the first two rounds advanced to the semifinals, where the lower-ranked seed of the winners faces the number one seed, with the other remaining team facing the number two seed.
Tiebreak procedures
Better winning percentage among all head-to-head games involving tied teams. Better winning percentage against all teams with .500 or better record at the end of the season. Better point differential in games net result of total points scored less total points allowed head-to-head. Better point differential net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents. Coin toss (or draw of lots, if at least three teams are still tied after the first four tiebreakers fail).
Broadcast
All playoff games were broadcast on the ESPN family of networks, with games being shown on ABC and ESPN2.
Playoff qualifying
New York earned the eight seed by virtue of winning the first tiebreaker over Washington and Los Angeles. New York was 3–2 in games between the three teams, while Washington was 3–3 and Los Angeles was 2–3.
With their 12–20 record, the Liberty had the worst regular season winning percentage of any playoff team in WNBA history.
For the fifth straight year, five teams from the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs, while only three from the Eastern Conference qualified. New York returns to the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since 2017, while Dallas returns for the first time since 2018.
Playoffs and Finals
Bracket
Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.
First round
Chicago Sky vs. Dallas Wings
The first playoff game of 2021 saw the 6th-seeded Chicago Sky play the 7th-seeded Dallas Wings. Neither team came into the game on a hot streak, with both teams winning two of their last five games. Dallas held the edge in the regular season series, 2–1.
The Sky got off to a hot start and led at halftime by fifteen points. The Wings played well coming out of the break and cut the lead to five at the end of the third quarter. However, the Sky dominated the fourth quarter to win by seventeen points. The Sky ended the game on a 13–1 run. The Sky had four players finish scoring double digit points; Kahleah Copper led the way with 23, while Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, and Candace Parker contributed 17, 15, and 11 points respectively. Parker also recorded 15 rebounds to finish with a double-double. The Wings only had two players score in double figures, Arike Ogunbowale led the way with 22 while Satou Sabally added 12 points.
Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty
In the second game of the first round the 5th-seeded Phoenix Mercury faced off against the 8th-seeded New York Liberty. The Mercury came into the game on a three-game losing streak, after winning ten games in a row after the Olympic break. The Liberty won their last game of the season to end an eight-game losing streak. Phoenix won the regular season series, 2–1.