Basketball is weird. Sometimes a random Thursday night in early September feels like just another box to check before the playoffs, and other times, it's the night the entire league hierarchy shifts. If you were watching the WNBA schedule September 4 2025, you saw the latter. We weren't just looking at regular-season filler; we were looking at the moment the Las Vegas Aces officially became "the problem" for everyone else in the bracket.
With the regular season wrapping up on September 11, every single bucket on this particular night felt heavy. Usually, by the time September 4 rolls around, teams are either resting stars or frantically math-ing their way into the eighth seed. But in 2025, the addition of the Golden State Valkyries and a record-high 44-game season meant the stakes stayed high right until the buzzer.
What Actually Went Down on September 4
The slate was lean but mean. Three games. That’s it. But those three games covered the literal map of the standings. We had the Phoenix Mercury out east, the expansion Valkyries trying to protect their home court in San Francisco, and a heavyweight clash in the desert.
Phoenix Mercury vs. Washington Mystics
Phoenix headed into D.C. needing to solidify their top-four positioning. Honestly, the Mystics have had a rough go of it lately, but playing at CareFirst Arena is never a "gimme." The Mercury walked away with a tight 75-69 win. It wasn't the prettiest game Diana Taurasi has ever played—far from it—but it kept them ahead of the New York Liberty in that brutal race for home-court advantage.
Dallas Wings vs. Golden State Valkyries
Over at the Chase Center, the vibes were high. The Valkyries have been the story of the year, becoming the first expansion team to really make noise in their debut season. Dallas came in playing spoiler, but the Valkyries held them off 84-80. This win was basically the "stamp" on their playoff passport. Seeing a first-year team execute in the clutch during a September 4 game was... well, it was kind of historic.
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Minnesota Lynx vs. Las Vegas Aces
This was the big one. The main event. If you were looking at the WNBA schedule September 4 2025, this was the game circled in red. The Lynx came in as the best team in the league (34-10 finish, eventually), but the Aces were in the middle of that terrifying 16-game win streak.
Vegas ended up taking it 97-87. A'ja Wilson was, as the kids say, doing A'ja Wilson things. 26 points. 10 boards. Total control. It was the night that signaled the Aces weren't just going to be a high seed; they were coming for the three-peat with a vengeance.
Breaking Down the Playoff Implications
Why does this specific Thursday matter so much in retrospect? Basically, it set the "first round" matchups in stone.
Because Phoenix won their game, they stayed in the 4th slot, which eventually set up that legendary (and incredibly spicy) first-round series against the New York Liberty. If Phoenix had slipped up against the Mystics on September 4, they might have swapped places with New York, losing that Game 1 home-court edge.
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- The Mercury proved they could win the "ugly" games on the road.
- The Aces proved that the Minnesota Lynx—the top seed—were actually beatable.
- The Valkyries showed they wouldn't crumble under the pressure of a late-season playoff race.
It’s easy to forget that the WNBA moved to a 44-game schedule this year. By September 4, players are tired. Like, "sore-to-the-bone" tired. Watching the intensity in the Lynx-Aces game, you wouldn't have known it. It felt like a Game 7.
The Prime Video Factor
One thing that’s changed the way we digest the WNBA schedule September 4 2025 is the broadcast reality. Two of the three games that night were on Prime Video. It’s sort of the new norm, right? You don't just flip on ESPN anymore; you've got to have your apps ready.
For the Mercury/Mystics and Lynx/Aces games, the streaming numbers were through the roof. It shows the league has finally moved past that "niche" phase. People are actually seeking these games out on a Thursday night in September, even with football season starting to loom over the sports world.
Looking Ahead: The Road to October
If you’re looking back at this schedule to understand how the playoffs shook out, remember that this was the "prep" week. The regular season ended exactly seven days later on September 11.
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- Recovery is King: Teams that played on the 4th had to balance intensity with longevity.
- Seeding Scramble: The gap between the 4th and 5th seeds was razor-thin.
- The Valkyrie Momentum: Golden State used the energy from their September 4 win to carry them into their first-ever postseason appearance.
Honestly, the WNBA hasn't seen a season this competitive in a long time. The "superteam" era of the Liberty and Aces is still here, sure, but the middle of the pack is so much faster and stronger than it used to be. September 4 was the proof.
What You Should Do Next
If you're tracking these stats for a fantasy league or just trying to win an argument at the bar, keep an eye on the head-to-head tiebreakers from this week. Those wins by Phoenix and Las Vegas weren't just single Ws; they were the deciding factors in who got to host the first round of the playoffs on September 14.
Check the final box scores for player efficiency ratings during this stretch—this is usually when the MVP race (A'ja Wilson vs. Napheesa Collier) really gets decided in the eyes of the voters.