WNBA playoffs
Year2013
DatesSeptember 19 – October 10, 2013
WinnersMinnesota Lynx (Finals Champion)
Attendance7,575 per game
Continental cup qualifiersAtlanta Dream (Coach: Fred Williams)
Continental cup qualifiers 1Minnesota Lynx (Coach: Cheryl Reeve)
Prev season2012
Next season2014

The 2013 WNBA playoffs is the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2013 season. Four teams from each of the league's two conferences will qualify for the playoffs, seeded 1 to 4 in a tournament bracket, with the two opening rounds in a best-of-three format, and the final in a best-of-five format.

The Minnesota Lynx won the 2013 WNBA Finals, sweeping the Atlanta Dream in three games. The Lynx became the second WNBA team to sweep through the playoffs since the WNBA adopted the best-of-five format for the finals. The Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference Finals, and the Seattle Storm in the conference semifinals. The Mercury had reached the Finals by defeating the Los Angeles Sparks in three games.

The Atlanta Dream won the Eastern Conference sweeping the defending WNBA champion Indiana Fever in two games. The Dream had defeated the Washington Mystics in the conference semifinals. The Fever had reached the Eastern Conference Finals by upsetting the top-seeded Chicago Sky.

The Lynx won their third straight Western Conference Championship and second WNBA title in three years. The Dream, meanwhile, failed to win a title despite making their third trip to the finals in four years.[1]

Tiebreak procedures

Two-team tie

  1. Better record in head-to-head games.
  2. Better winning percentage within own conference.
  3. Better winning percentage against all teams with .500 or better record at the end of the season.
  4. Better point differential in games head-to-head.
  5. Coin toss.

Three or more-team tie

  1. Better winning percentage among all head-to-head games involving tied teams.
  2. Better winning percentage against teams within conference (for first two rounds of playoffs) or better record against teams in the opposite conference (for Finals).
  3. Better winning percentage against all teams with a .500 or better record at the end of the season.
  4. Better point differential in games involving tied teams.
  5. Coin toss.

Playoff qualifying

Eastern Conference

SeedTeamWLTiebreakerClinched
Playoff berthConference homecourt
1Chicago Sky2410August 23August 31
2Atlanta Dream17173-2 vs. WASSeptember 4
3Washington Mystics17172-3 vs. ATLSeptember 10
4Indiana Fever1618September 7

Western Conference

SeedTeamWLTiebreakerClinched
Playoff berthConference homecourtLeague homecourt
1Minnesota Lynx268August 22September 10September 14
2Los Angeles Sparks2410August 23
3Phoenix Mercury1915September 6
4Seattle Storm1717August 31

Bracket

<onlyinclude>

  • Bold – Series winner
  • Italics – Team with home-court advantage

</onlyinclude>

Eastern Conference

Conference semifinals

(1) Chicago Sky vs. (4) Indiana Fever

Regular-season series

Indiana won the regular-season series 3–1:

(2) Atlanta Dream vs. (3) Washington Mystics

Regular-season series

Atlanta won the regular season series 3–2:

Conference finals

(2) Atlanta Dream vs. (4) Indiana Fever

Regular-season series

Atlanta won the regular season series 3–1:

Western Conference

Conference semifinals

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (4) Seattle Storm

Regular-season series

Minnesota won the regular season series 4–0:

(2) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (3) Phoenix Mercury

Regular-season series

Regular season series tied 2-2:

Conference finals

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (3) Phoenix Mercury

Regular-season series

Minnesota won the regular-season series 5-0:

WNBA Finals

Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream

Regular Season Series

The season series was tied, 1-1:

References

  1. ^ "Minnesota at Atlanta, October 10, 2013". Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013.