WNBA recap: Playoff picture is set as record-breaking regular season comes to an end

CNN
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It was a WNBA season like no other.

The 2024 season has seen unprecedented growth, broken records and featured one of the most hyped rookie classes in league history – and the postseason is still to come.

Eight of the twelve WNBA teams reach the playoffs and are seeded first through eighth, regardless of conference.

The regular season ended Thursday night with all 12 teams in action. While some teams already knew where they stood in the playoffs, there were still a few things to be decided on the final day and headlines everywhere.

The Phoenix Mercury lost 89-70 to the Seattle Storm on Thursday, but much of the attention was focused on what happened after the final whistle.

Diana Taurasi, widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, spoke to the crowd on the court in Phoenix after what may have been her last game of the regular season.

The 42-year-old was the first overall pick by the Mercury in 2004 and has spent her entire WNBA career with the franchise. She is a former MVP, three-time WNBA champion, six-time EuroLeague champion, six-time Olympic gold medalist, 11-time WNBA All-Star and the league's all-time leading scorer.

There is speculation that this will be Taurasi's last season as an active player. Although these rumors are still unconfirmed, she gave an emotional speech to her adoring fans at home.

“There's really no place to start, but there's always a place to stop,” she said. “It seems to be the same place, and as you know, when I came here in 2004, I knew I was going to be here for a long time. I felt like this was my home in some strange and mysterious way.”

“I want to thank every single coach, every single player and every single person who has worn a WNBA jersey because it takes a village and our league is about supporting each other. And in return, we can see where we are today, 28 years later. We thank those who played before us. This league is where it is today. We're thankful for you guys, and we're thankful for the next generation.”

“If it's the last time, it felt like the first time,” she added.

Taurasi will have at least one more opportunity to play in front of a home crowd – the seventh-seeded Mercury will face the second-seeded Minnesota Lynx in a best-of-three first-round playoff series.

This season, record attendance and ratings were recorded through the end of the regular season.

20,711 fans packed into Capital One Arena in Washington DC as the Mystics defeated the Indiana Fever 92-91, making it the best-attended WNBA game of all time.

After breaking the single-season assist record earlier this month, standout rookie Caitlin Clark entered the game eight three-pointers shy of the season record of 128 that Sabrina Ionescu will set in 2023.

Although Clark didn't match Ionescu's scoring in the game – she played just under 20 minutes when the 20-20 Fever had already secured sixth place – she made two triples and brought her total to 122, overtaking Taurasi and moving into second place.

Indiana's return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 marks an incredible turnaround for the team. The franchise started the season 3-10, but bounced back after the Olympic break, fighting its way back to .500 and securing a postseason spot.

“I'm really proud of their development and their resilience,” Fever head coach Christie Sides said after the game. “They put in the work and got better. We didn't have the time in the beginning, but as the season went on, they got better and better.”

“They deserve a chance to play in these playoffs.”

The Mystics entered the game as the ninth seed and knew they had to win to have a chance at the postseason. The game started poorly for Washington, falling behind 20-2, but they were able to pull off a massive comeback to secure the win.

Sika Koné led the way with 20 points and four other Mystics players scored in double figures in this decisive victory, but a place in the playoffs was simply not possible as the Atlanta Dream took matters out of Washington's hands.

With a 78-67 win over the New York Liberty, the Dream pushed the Mystics out of eighth place, with center Tina Charles securing an entry in the record books.

Charles, a former league MVP and eight-time All-Star, grabbed her third rebound of the game in the first quarter to become the WNBA's all-time leading rebounder with 4,007 rebounds, surpassing Sylvia Fowles for the top spot.

Their record-breaking performance couldn't have come at a better time for Atlanta, who needed a boost ahead of Thursday's road game. The Dream entered the game in eighth place but were just one game behind the Mystics and knew only a win would guarantee a postseason spot.

According to Charles, however, there was never any doubt about the outcome.

“We came here with our bags packed,” said the 35-year-old after the game. “We knew we could do it. For us, the playoffs had honestly started maybe a week ago because of the situation we were in.”

Charles also finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, her 194th career double-double, the most by any player in league history. Fowles also held the previous record.

The encounter also served as a preview of the playoffs: Atlanta will face the number one seed Liberty in the first round of the postseason.

New York had already secured first place before Thursday's game, and it remains to be seen how the team will fare against a resurgent Dream Group when the season is on the line.

The first round of the series will be played in a three-team format.

Away @ Home (Game 1)

#8 Atlanta Dream @ #1 New York Liberty

#7 Phoenix Mercury @ #2 Minnesota Lynx

#6 Indiana Fever @ #3 Connecticut Sun

#5 Seattle Storm @ #4 Las Vegas Aces