Eastern Conference (WNBA)

Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences that make up the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the other being the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference consists of 7 teams, whereas with the addition of Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo in the 2026 season, the Western Conference consists of 8 teams.[1][2]

LeagueWNBA
SportBasketball
First season1997
No. of teams7
Quick facts League, Sport ...
Eastern Conference
LeagueWNBA
SportBasketball
First season1997
No. of teams7
Most recent
champion		Indiana Fever (2015)
Most titlesDetroit Shock (4)
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From the league's second season in 1998 through 2015, the WNBA operated separate playoff brackets for its Eastern and Western Conferences. Each conference's playoff was divided into two playoff rounds, the Conference Semi-Finals and the Conference Finals, with the Conference Finals winners receiving Conference Championships and advancing to the WNBA Finals to determine the WNBA champion. In the final years of this playoff scheme, all in-conference playoff series were best-of-three.

In the current system, the eight best teams by the regular-season record, without regard to conference alignment, qualify for the playoffs. Since 2022, the playoffs have been held in a standard knockout format, with the first round consisting of best-of-three series and the semifinals and finals being best-of-five.[3] The higher seed will generally face a weaker team, and will have home-court advantage in each round. In 2024, all quarterfinal series used a 2–1 home-court pattern, which allowed the higher seed the opportunity to win the series without having to visit the lower seed. This in turn meant that a lower seed that won one of the first two games would host the series decider.[3] However, the quarterfinals will return to a 1–1–1 pattern in 2025, with the higher seed hosting the first game and a potential third game.[4]

The quarterfinals are bracketed in the normal manner for an 8-team tournament, with 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 on one side of the bracket and 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 on the other. The winners of each quarterfinal series advance to the semifinals, with the bracket not being reseeded. The semifinals use a 2–2–1 home-court pattern, meaning that the higher-seeded team will have home court in games 1, 2, and 5 while the other team plays at home in game 3 and 4. Through 2024, the finals were also played in a 2–2–1 home-court pattern. Starting in 2025, the finals will use the same 2–2–1–1–1 pattern currently used by the NBA.[4][5]

Teams

More information Team, City/Area ...
Team City/Area Arena Colors Joined WNBA Head coach
Atlanta Dream College Park, Georgia Gateway Center Arena Sky blue, red, white 2008 Karl Smesko
Chicago Sky Chicago, Illinois Wintrust Arena Sky blue, yellow, white 2006 Tyler Marsh
Connecticut Sun Uncasville, Connecticut Mohegan Sun Arena Navy blue, red, gold, white 1999* Rachid Meziane
Indiana Fever Indianapolis, Indiana Gainbridge Fieldhouse Navy blue, gold, red, white 2000 Stephanie White
New York Liberty Brooklyn, New York Barclays Center Black, green, orange, white 1997 Chris DeMarco
Toronto Tempo Toronto, Ontario Coca-Cola Coliseum Borealis blue and tempo bordeaux 2026 Sandy Brondello
Washington Mystics Washington, D.C. CareFirst Arena Navy, gray, white, red 1998 Sydney Johnson
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    Former teams

    Defunct

    Changed to Western Conference

    Relocated

    Eastern Conference champions

    The WNBA awarded conference championships between 1998 and 2015 to the winners of the Conference Finals in the playoffs. Conference championships were not awarded in the 1997 inaugural season, and they were again discontinued since the WNBA adopted its current single-table playoff format in 2016.

    WNBA champions in bold

    All-time regular-season conference standings

    2024 season

    More information #, Team ...
    # Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
    1 yx – New York Liberty328.800—16–416–416–45–0
    2 cx – Minnesota Lynx3010.750214–616–414–64–1
    3 x – Connecticut Sun2812.700414–614–614–64–1
    4 x – Las Vegas Aces2713.675512–813–714–62–3
    5 x – Seattle Storm2515.625713–714–611–94–1
    6 x – Indiana Fever2020.5001211–912–88–123–2
    7 x – Phoenix Mercury1921.4751310–1010–109–113–2
    8 x – Atlanta Dream1525.375177–138–127–131–4
    9 e – Washington Mystics1426.350187–135–159–111–4
    10 e – Chicago Sky1327.325195–156–147–131–4
    11 e – Dallas Wings931.225236–147–132–180–5
    12 e – Los Angeles Sparks832.200245–155–153–172–3
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    Notes

    (#) – League Standing
    c – Commissioner's Cup winners
    y – Regular Season Champion
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

    2023 season

    More information #, W ...
    # Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
    1 x – Las Vegas Aces346.850–18–219–115–59–1
    2 x – New York Liberty328.800216–415–517–37–3
    3 x – Connecticut Sun2713.675714–613–714–67–3
    4 x – Dallas Wings2218.5501211–911–911–96–4
    5 x – Atlanta Dream1921.4751511–911–98–126–4
    6 x – Minnesota Lynx1921.4751512–89–1110–105–5
    7 x – Washington Mystics1921.475159–1112–87–135–5
    8 x – Chicago Sky1822.450165–157–1311–93–7
    9 e – Los Angeles Sparks1723.425179–1110–107–135–5
    10 e – Indiana Fever1327.325215–156–147–132–8
    11 e – Seattle Storm1129.275238–124–167–134–6
    12 e – Phoenix Mercury931.225252–188–121–191–9
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    Notes

    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from postseason contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

    2022 season

    More information #, W ...
    #
    Team
    		 W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
    1 x – Las Vegas Aces2610.722–15–313–513–59–1
    2 x – Chicago Sky2610.722–15–314–412–69–1
    3 x – Connecticut Sun2511.6941.011–713–512–65–5
    4 x – Seattle Storm2214.6114.010–813–59–96–4
    5 x – Washington Mystics2214.6114.011–712–610–85–5
    6 x – Dallas Wings1818.5008.08–108–1010–85–5
    7 x – New York Liberty1620.44410.010–89–97–116–4
    8 x – Phoenix Mercury1521.41711.07–1111–74–143–7
    9 e – Minnesota Lynx1422.38912.08–107–117–114–6
    10 e – Atlanta Dream1422.38912.05–138–106–123–7
    11 e – Los Angeles Sparks1323.36113.06–127–116–123–7
    12 e – Indiana Fever531.13921.02–163–152–162–8
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    Notes

    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

    2021 season

    More information #, Team ...
    # Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
    1 x – Connecticut Sun266.813–12–315–111–59–1
    2 x – Las Vegas Aces248.750211–413–311–56–4
    3 x – Minnesota Lynx2210.688410–513–39–77–3
    4 x – Seattle Storm2111.65659–611–510–68–2
    5 x – Phoenix Mercury1913.59476–97–912–45–5
    6 x – Chicago Sky1616.5001010–56–1010–66–4
    7 x – Dallas Wings1418.438127–87–97–93–7
    8 x – New York Liberty1220.375146–97–95–115–5
    9 e – Washington Mystics1220.375147–88–84–124–6
    10 e – Los Angeles Sparks1220.375142–138–84–121–9
    11 e – Atlanta Dream824.250186–94–124–124–6
    12 e – Indiana Fever626.188204–114–122–142–8
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    Notes

    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

    2020 season

    More information #, Team ...
    # Team W L PCT GB Conf.
    1 x – Las Vegas Aces184.818–8–2
    2 x – Seattle Storm184.818–8–2
    3 x – Los Angeles Sparks157.68235–5
    4 x – Minnesota Lynx148.63644–6
    5 x – Phoenix Mercury139.59154–6
    6 x – Chicago Sky1210.54566–4
    7 x – Connecticut Sun1012.45587–3
    8 x – Washington Mystics913.40996–4
    9 e – Dallas Wings814.364101–9
    10 e – Atlanta Dream715.318115–5
    11 e – Indiana Fever616.273124–6
    12 e – New York Liberty220.091162–8
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    Notes

    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoffs
    Home and Away records not shown, as all games played at a neutral location.
    Updated to include results from September 13, 2020
    Source

    2019 season

    More information #, W ...
    # Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    1 Washington Mystics (1)268.765–14–312–513–3
    2 Connecticut Sun (2)2311.676315–28–911–5
    3 Chicago Sky (5)2014.588612–58–911–5
    4 e –Indiana Fever1321.382137–106–117–9
    5 e –New York Liberty1024.294164–136–113–13
    6 e –Atlanta Dream826.235185–123–143–13
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    Notes

    (#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

    2018 season

    More information #, W ...
    # Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    1 Atlanta Dream (2)2311.676–13–410–712–4
    2 Washington Mystics (3)2212.647112–510–712–4
    3 Connecticut Sun (4)2113.618213–48–99–7
    4 e – Chicago Sky1321.382107–106–116–10
    5 e – New York Liberty727.206164–133–146–10
    6 e – Indiana Fever628.176172–154–133–13
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    Notes

    (#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
    x – Clinched Playoff Berth
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

    2017 season

    More information #, W ...
    # Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    1 New York Liberty - (3)2212.647-13–49–810–6
    2 Connecticut Sun - (4)2113.636112–59–610–6
    3 Washington Mystics - (6)1816.529411–67–1012-4
    4 Chicago Sky - e1222.353104–138–96–10
    5 Atlanta Dream - e1222.353109–83–145–11
    6 Indiana Fever - e925.265136–113–144–12
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    Notes

    (#) – Conference Standing
    Playoff Seeds shown next to team name
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

    2016 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    3 - New York Liberty2113.618—10–711–611–5
    4 - Chicago Sky1816.529311–67–108–8
    5 - Indiana Fever1717.50048–99–88–8
    6 - Atlanta Dream1717.500411–66–119–7
    e - Connecticut Sun1420.41278–96–114–12
    e - Washington Mystics1321.38285–128–98–8
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    Notes

    # – Playoff seed
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

    2015 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    x - New York Liberty2311.676–12–511–613–9
    x - Chicago Sky2113.618213–48–914–8
    x - Indiana Fever2014.588311–69–813–9
    x - Washington Mystics1816.529511–67–1010–12
    e - Atlanta Dream1519.44189–86–1110–12
    e - Connecticut Sun1519.44188–97–106–16
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    Notes

    x – Clinched playoff spot
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

    2014 season

    More information #, Team ...
    # Eastern Conference
    Team W L PCT GB GP
    1 y- Atlanta Dream1915.559-34
    2 x- Indiana Fever1618.4713.034
    3 x-Washington Mystics1618.4713.034
    4 x-Chicago Sky1519.4414.034
    5 e-New York Liberty1519.4414.034
    6 e-Connecticut Sun1321.3826.034
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    2013 season

    More information #, Team ...
    # Eastern Conference
    Team W L PCT GB GP
    1 z-Chicago Sky2410.706-34
    2 x-Atlanta Dream1717.500734
    3 x-Washington Mystics1717.500734
    4 x-Indiana Fever1618.471834
    5 e-New York Liberty1123.3241334
    6 e-Connecticut Sun1024.2941434
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    2012 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Connecticut Sun y259.735–12–513–418–4
    Indiana Fever x2212.6473.013–49–815–7
    Atlanta Dream x1915.5596.011–68–912–10
    New York Liberty x1519.44110.09–86–1110–12
    Chicago Sky o1420.41211.07–107–108–14
    Washington Mystics o529.14720.04–131–163–19
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    2011 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Indiana Fever x2113.618–13–48–913–9
    Connecticut Sun x2113.618–15–26–1114–8
    Atlanta Dream x2014.5881.011–69–814–8
    New York Liberty x1915.5592.012-57–1011–11
    Chicago Sky o1420.4127.010–74–1310–12
    Washington Mystics o628.17615.04–132–154–18
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    2010 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Washington Mystics x2212.647–13–49–813–9
    New York Liberty x2212.647–13–49–814–8
    Indiana Fever x2113.6181.013–48–913–9
    Atlanta Dream x1915.5593.010–79–810–12
    Connecticut Sun o1717.5005.012–55–129–13
    Chicago Sky o1420.4128.07–107–107–15
    Close

    2009 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Indiana Fever x2212.647–14–38–917–5
    Atlanta Dream x1816.5294.012–56–1110–12
    Detroit Shock x1816.5294.011–67–1011–11
    Washington Mystics x1618.4716.011–65–1210–12
    Chicago Sky o1618.4716.012–54–1310–12
    Connecticut Sun o1618.4716.012–54–139–12
    New York Liberty o1321.3829.08–95–128–13
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    2008 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Detroit Shock x2212.647–14–38–916–4
    Connecticut Sun x2113.6181.013–48–913–7
    New York Liberty x1915.5593.011–68–911–9
    Indiana Fever x1717.5005.011–66–1112–8
    Chicago Sky o1222.35310.08–94–1310–10
    Washington Mystics o1024.29412.06–114–136–14
    Atlanta Dream o430.11818.01–163–142–18
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    2007 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Detroit Shock x2410.706–12–512–514–6
    Indiana Fever x2113.6183.012–59–812–8
    Connecticut Sun x1816.5296.08–910–710–10
    New York Liberty x1618.4718.010–76–1110–10
    Washington Mystics o1618.4718.08–98–98–12
    Chicago Sky o1420.41210.06–118–96–14
    Close

    2006 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference
    		W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    z - Connecticut Sun268.765–14–312–515–5
    x - Detroit Shock2311.6763.014–39–814–6
    x - Indiana Fever2113.6185.012–59–812–8
    x - Washington Mystics1816.5298.013–45–1212–8
    e - New York Liberty1123.32415.07–104–137–13
    e - Charlotte Sting1123.32415.07–104–36–14
    e - Chicago Sky529.14721.03–142–154–16
    Close

    2005 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Connecticut Sun x268.765–14–312–513–7
    Indiana Fever x2113.6185.014–37–1014–6
    New York Liberty x1816.5298.010–78–99–11
    Detroit Shock x1618.47110.012–54–1311–9
    Washington Mystics o1618.47110.010–76–119–11
    Charlotte Sting o628.17620.05–121–164–16
    Close

    2004 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Connecticut Sun x1816.529–10–78–914–6
    New York Liberty x1816.529–11–67–1010–10
    Detroit Shock x1717.5001.08–99–811–9
    Washington Mystics x1717.5001.011–66–119–11
    Charlotte Sting o1618.4712.010–76–118–12
    Indiana Fever o1519.4413.010–75–128–12
    Close

    2003 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
    Detroit Shock x259.735–13–412–518–6
    Charlotte Sting x1816.5297.013–45–1212–12
    Connecticut Sun x1816.5297.010–78–911–13
    Cleveland Rockers x1717.5008.011–66–1113–11
    Indiana Fever o1618.4719.011–65–1212–12
    New York Liberty o1618.4719.011–65–1211–13
    Washington Mystics o925.26516.03–146–117–17
    Close

    2002 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    New York Liberty x1814.56311–10–
    Charlotte Sting x1814.56312–9–
    Washington Mystics x1715.53112–91.0
    Indiana Fever x1616.50012–92.0
    Orlando Miracle o1616.50013–82.0
    Miami Sol o1517.46911–103.0
    Cleveland Rockers o1022.3127–148.0
    Detroit Shock o923.2816–159.0
    Close

    2001 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    Cleveland Rockers x2210.68815–6–
    New York Liberty x2111.65613–81.0
    Miami Sol x2012.62514–72.0
    Charlotte Sting x1814.56315–64.0
    Orlando Miracle o1319.4069–129.0
    Indiana Fever o1022.3137–1412.0
    Detroit Shock o1022.3137–1412.0
    Washington Mystics o1022.3134–1712.0
    Close

    2000 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    New York Liberty x2012.62514–7–
    Cleveland Rockers x1715.53113–83.0
    Orlando Miracle x1616.50013–84.0
    Washington Mystics x1418.43813–86.0
    Detroit Shock o1418.43810–116.0
    Miami Sol o1319.4069–127.0
    Indiana Fever o923.2817–1411.0
    Charlotte Sting o824.2505–1612.0
    Close

    1999 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    New York Liberty x1814.56312–8–
    Detroit Shock x1517.46912–83.0
    Charlotte Sting x1517.46912–83.0
    Orlando Miracle o1517.4699–113.0
    Washington Mystics o1220.37510–106.0
    Cleveland Rockers o725.2195–1511.0
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    1998 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    Cleveland Rockers x2010.66712–4–
    Charlotte Sting x1812.60011–52.0
    New York Liberty o1812.6008–82.0
    Detroit Shock o1713.5678–83.0
    Washington Mystics o327.1001–1517.0
    Close

    1997 season

    More information W, L ...
    Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
    Houston Comets x1810.6436–6–
    New York Liberty x1711.6078–41.0
    Charlotte Sting x1513.5365–73.0
    Cleveland Rockers o1513.5365–73.0
    Close

    References

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