2024 WNBA playoffs tracker -- Who's in? Who's making the biggest impact and more - ESPN

The New York Liberty are in the driver's seat for the WNBA playoffs, as they start the second half of the season in first place. But things could get very interesting in the rest of August and September.

Eight teams make the postseason. Finishing in the top four means a chance to host a best-of-three first-round playoff series. Right now, those four spots look to be decided by five teams: New York, the Connecticut Sun, the Minnesota Lynx, the Seattle Storm and the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

The Liberty, one of the WNBA's original franchises, are still seeking their first WNBA title. New York fell in the WNBA Finals last season to the Aces, but so far in 2024 the Liberty have been the league's most consistent team.

Meanwhile, another story to watch is the Indiana Fever, who haven't been to the playoffs since 2016. With back-to-back No.1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark the past two seasons, the Fever are now in playoff position with 14 games remaining in their regular season.

Aug. 20: Trade deadline

Sept. 19: Regular season ends

Sept. 22: Playoffs begin

Oct. 20: Last possible finals date

The ESPN Analytics team breaks down playoff probability updated in real time. The top eight teams make the playoffs — a best-of-three series in the first round, where teams are seeded based on regular-season performance, and a best-of-five format for the semifinals and finals. Updated nightly:

How much does a single player mean to the team? Win Probability Added (WPA) captures how much probability goes up or down when a player is on the court and gives them approximate credit. Here we break down the league's best in the category. Updated after games:

The 2024 rookie class is worthy of its own breakdown. Win