The 2010 WNBA Playoffs is the postseason

WNBA Playoffs

The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....

 for the Women's National Basketball Association

Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...

's 2010 season

2010 WNBA season

The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...

.

Format

• The top 4 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs.
  • All 4 teams are seeded by basis of their standings.
• The series for rounds one and two are in a best-of-three format with Games 1 and 3 on the home court of the team with the higher seed. In previous years, the higher seed would play the first game on the road, then games 2 and (if needed) 3 at home.
• The series for the WNBA Finals
  WNBA Finals
  The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
  
   is in a best-of-five format with Games 1, 2 and 5 on the home court of the team with the higher seed.

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.

Eastern Conference

Seed	Team	W	L	Tiebreaker	Clinched
					Playoff berth	Conf. Homecourt
1	Washington Mystics Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...	22	12	3–2 vs. NYL New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...	August 15	August 22
2	New York Liberty New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...	22	12	2–3 vs. WAS Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...	August 14	—
3	Indiana Fever Indiana Fever The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...	21	13	—	August 13	—
4	Atlanta Dream Atlanta Dream The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta...	19	15	—	August 14	—

Western Conference

Seed	Team	W	L	Tiebreaker	Clinched
					Playoff berth	Playoffs Homecourt
1	Seattle Storm Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...	28	6	—	July 22	August 10
2	Phoenix Mercury Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...	15	19	—	August 13	—
3	San Antonio Silver Stars San Antonio Silver Stars The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...	14	20	—	August 22	—
4	Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...	13	21	4–0 vs. MIN Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...	August 20	—

Bracket

Note: italics denote home-court advantage; bold denotes series winner.

(1) Washington Mystics vs. (4) Atlanta Dream

Regular-season series
The Washington Mystics

Washington Mystics

The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...

 won 3–1 in the regular-season series:

(2) New York Liberty vs. (3) Indiana Fever

Regular-season series
The teams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:

(2) New York Liberty vs. (4) Atlanta Dream

Regular-season series
The teams were tied 2–2 in the regular season series

(1) Seattle Storm vs. (4) Los Angeles Sparks

Regular-season series
The Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...

 won 5–0 in the regular-season series:

(2) Phoenix Mercury vs. (3) San Antonio Silver Stars

Regular-season series
The teams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:

(1) Seattle Storm vs. (2) Phoenix Mercury

Regular-season series
The Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...

 won 5–0 in the regular-season series:

Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream

Regular-season series
The Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...

 won 2–0 in the regular-season series: