No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

Episode: Elimination Drama in the WNBA First Round

Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Zena Keita & Sabreena Merchant

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the drama-filled WNBA first round, with hosts Zena and Sabreena breaking down wild upsets, buzzer-beater heartbreaks, and historic moments from a playoff stage as intense as advertised. With the league’s new playoff format introducing extra volatility, the duo examines game-by-game how both established heavyweights and shorthanded underdogs dealt with elimination pressure. In addition to recapping series, they celebrate recent league award winners and preview the coming semifinals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Award Season Surprises and Celebrations

• Veronica Burton and Paige Bueckers Shine

  • Veronica Burton (Golden State Valkyries) wins Most Improved Player. Coach Natalie Nakase grabs Coach of the Year for WNBA.
  • Paige Bueckers (Dallas) surprises on the Jennifer Hudson Show with the Rookie of the Year award presented by the commissioner.

    “Shout out to Paige’s two step right into her award. Beautiful moment, really dope.” – Zena (03:16)

• Historical Co-Defensive Players of the Year

  • For the first time ever, Asia Wilson (Aces) and Alanna Smith (Lynx) share DPOY honors due to a tied vote.

    “That’s how you get to 29 and 29. And that’s how we get co defensive players of the year. Honestly, I’m shocked. This hasn’t happened more often.” – Sabreena (04:23)

2. Indiana Fever’s Stunning Upset Over Atlanta Dream

Segment Start: 05:56

• The Fever, shorthanded (six in street clothes, including Caitlin Clark), defeated the Dream in Atlanta 87–85, clinching their first semifinal berth since 2015.

• Emphasis on the veterans’ 38 years of combined experience and the leadership of Stephanie White.

• Odyssey Sims, with the team for just a month, delivered 8 assists leading the offense in crunch time.

• Atlanta, despite a strong regular season and the 2nd best net rating in the WNBA, was undone by Indiana’s resilience.

  “They legitimately believe that they can win every time they step out onto the court, no matter who they’re playing.” – Sabreena (06:46)

  “I want to talk a little bit about this setup though. Indiana went into Atlanta and took this game and you can look at it in different ways…In this new 1-1-1 format, Indiana’s now coming back to Atlanta as well with momentum.” – Zena (09:14)

• Impact of New Playoff Format

  • The switch from 2-1 to 1-1-1 format reintroduced ‘randomness.’ Indiana becomes the first lower seed in four years to advance.
  • Sabreena notes:

    “No lower seed won a series during that [old] format. Not a single one…Indiana is the first team in four years to actually get through as the lower seed.” (11:02)

3. Vegas Aces Survive a Seattle Storm Scare

Segment Start: 15:44

• Aces outlast Storm 74–73 to reach their 7th straight semifinals, nearly undone by a missed baseline jumper at the buzzer.

• Game highlights Asia Wilson’s monster 38-point game, but it’s Jackie Young’s late offensive board and putback that seals the win.

  “Vegas was only able to get two second chance points all game. And it was the ones that Jackie had to put them ahead.” – Zena (24:09)

• Seattle’s talent and fight belies their #7 seed; both hosts agree the Storm (and Atlanta) are better than their early exits suggest.

  “I keep hearing these arguments like, should they move to best-of-five in the first round? ... But these are all such good teams. Like, I’m watching them thinking none of them really deserved to be out this early.” – Sabreena (19:42)

• Notable moment: The game ends with Gabby Williams missing a contested baseline jumper as the lights flicker, echoing Olympic drama.

  “I don’t want to get all the way to the end of the game, but, like, Gabby Williams takes the last shot and like, I’m getting Olympic flashback skin with the ball in Gabby Williams’ hand at the end of the game, right? And, like, and the lights go off. Like, did the shot go in?” – Sabreena (19:40)

4. The New Playoff Format: Deeper Parity or Just Chaos?

Segment Throughout: esp. 11:02; 19:40; 19:54

• The unpredictable first round—multiple lower seeds pushing to elimination games and upsets—sparks debate on whether the new 1-1-1 format amplifies true league parity or simple randomness.
• Both hosts agree the intensity “feels more competitive than last year,” attributing it to both structure and rising league depth.

5. Looking Ahead: Aces vs Fever Semifinals

Segment Start: 24:51

• The regular season series split (all home wins), but both teams are “completely different versions” now.

  “If you played in July, you basically didn’t play this version of the Indiana Fever. And you didn’t play this version of Las Vegas.” – Zena (25:24)

• X-factors will be bench and role players; star output is almost a given.

• Noting matchups (e.g., NaLyssa Smith facing her former team), and how key substitutions, like Sidney Colson’s absence, could matter.

6. Minnesota Survives the Valkyries’ Upset Effort

Segment Start: 28:07

• Lynx edge Golden State Valkyries 75–74, sweeping the series despite being “this close” to a third game.

• Zena highlights Cheryl Reeve’s postgame candor, suggesting the Lynx “did not deserve to win that game,” acting as both humility and internal motivation.

  “She’s not showing disrespect… but they wanted to get out in two games. To me…coaches are sending messages subliminally…we were this close. Literally. Genji Santa scene. We were this close.” – Sabreena (29:38)

• Game praised for tactical adjustments, including Valkyries’ five-out spacing after Temi Fagbenle’s injury—a blueprint for upcoming opponents (e.g., New York, Phoenix).

  “That really messed with the Lynx and that’s something that I think New York and Phoenix can borrow from.” – Sabreena (32:30)

7. New York vs Phoenix: The Stewie Question

Segment Start: 37:58

• Phoenix routed Liberty by 26 in Game 2 as Stewie (Brianna Stewart) battled a knee injury, Sabrina Ionescu was sick, and New York’s cohesion faltered.
• Stewie’s health and New York’s depth are rightly under scrutiny:

  “The only thing I think that matters is are we getting Brianna Stewart? Are we getting whatever version of that was on Tuesday?” – Sabreena (39:05)

• Phoenix’s bounce back keyed by Satu Sabally’s return to form and Natasha Cloud’s playoff heroics.
• Hosts favor Phoenix in Game 3, unless Stewie returns to her peak form.

  “Unless Stewie is completely ready to go and has one of those Brianna Stewart ‘I’m the best player of my generation’ games… I think this is Phoenix’s game to lose.” – Sabreena (42:25)

8. Offseason Prediction Corner (Presented by BetMGM)

Segment Start: 45:59

• Hot takes and speculation for eliminated teams:
  • Sabreena predicts Ezi Magbegor lands with the LA Sparks in 2026 to bolster their defense (46:08).
  • Zena hints at an Atlanta Dream backcourt breakup, possibly Ryan Howard seeking a new start after repeated first-round exits (47:10).

    “Three straight years of not making it out of the first round and being really great...I think she might look to see somewhere else.” – Zena (47:11)

  • Sabreena notes Howard is a restricted free agent, so movement’s tricky but tantalizing:

    “She’s gonna have to exercise some leverage to make that happen.” (47:56)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "They legitimately believe that they can win every time they step out onto the court, no matter who they’re playing."
  – Sabreena, 06:46
• “That’s how you get to 29 and 29... Co Defensive Players of the Year. Honestly, I’m shocked. This hasn’t happened more often.”
  – Sabreena, 04:23
• “Vegas was only able to get two second chance points all game. And it was the ones that Jackie had to put them ahead.”
  – Zena, 24:09
• “If you played in July, you basically didn’t play this version of the Indiana Fever. And you didn’t play this version of Las Vegas.”
  – Zena, 25:24
• “We were this close. Literally. Genji Santa scene. We were this close. And I don’t want you guys to forget that.”
  – Sabreena, 29:38

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Awards Discussion & Surprise Co-DPOY: 02:01–04:59
• Fever Upset Atlanta & Playoff Format Debate: 05:56–13:37
• Aces Storm Survival, Game Drama: 15:44–24:51
• Aces–Fever Preview: 24:51–27:13
• Minnesota–Valkyries Nailbiter Recap: 28:07–35:06
• Liberty–Mercury Game 3 Stakes: 37:58–44:00
• Offseason Predictions for Eliminated Teams: 45:59–47:56

Tone & Style

The hosts keep the conversation lively, candid, and heavy on inside knowledge, punctuating analysis with light-hearted asides (“I got to cold call my doctor” about heart-pounding finishes; jokes on Paige Bueckers “two-step” during the Rookie of the Year surprise). They’re equally comfortable parsing tactical chess matches and league politics, making for an insider’s perspective that still welcomes engaged fans.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, impassioned breakdown of a WNBA first round full of surprises—veterans stepping up, shorthanded teams rallying, award chaos, tactical chess, and a league on the rise in both parity and drama. If you missed the games, you’ll leave with a clear sense of who shined, who collapsed, and why every remaining team is on high alert as the semifinals approach.