The first round of the WNBA playoffs changed this year, with the league moving from a 2-1 format to a 1-1-1 format. The first round follows a best of three format, and before this season, the higher seed of each matchup hosted the first two games while the lower seed hosted the final game if the series needed a third game. Now, the higher seed hosts the first and third game while the lower seed hosts the second game, meaning every playoff team is guaranteed a home game.
This new format not only involves more fanbases, but already seems to have brought increased excitement to the first round of the playoffs. Three of the first four series have extended to a third game, and the fourth between the Lynx and Valkyries nearly did as well before Minnesota pulled off a stunning comeback.
While this has been encouraging, Aces coach Becky Hammon believes the new format puts higher seeds at a massive disadvantage.
“I don’t like it,” Hammon said of the format before the Aces’ loss at the Storm on Wednesday. “You look at a team like Phoenix, dropping that one. They’re gonna have all the pressure, unbelievably tough to now have to fly to New York. And New York has a tough one, flying to Phoenix, back to New York, potentially back to Phoenix. I think this conversation came up last year when Indiana didn’t get a game and they were upset. For me then, you gotta finish better. Either move it to five [games] or it stays in the 2-1 format because it puts the higher seed at actually a huge disadvantage.”
Pregame goods from me:
1) Becky Hammon’s thoughts on the 1-1-1 playoff format
2) Noelle Quinn on trying to counter teams stashing bigger wings on Skylar Diggins (0:47 mark) pic.twitter.com/5iaGJdXP47
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) September 15, 2025
Prior to this format change, the Aces had not gone to Game 3 in the first round since Hammon took over in 2022. Over the last two years, only one first round series went to Game 3.
The new format clearly seems to be changing those trends, which will give greater chances for lower seeds. It will be interesting to see how Game 3 of these three series plays out with each series returning to the home of the higher seed. If multiple lower seeds advance, it will be a major shakeup for the WNBA playoffs.
