How many WNBA teams make the playoffs? Post season format, current seeding, and more

After an extended break for All-Star festivities and the Olympics, the WNBA season will pick back up this week. As the regular season enters its final stretch, here is a look at how things will shape up for the postseason.

Unlike the NBA, the women have a smaller pool of teams to make the playoffs. Of the 12 teams in the league, eight of them will find themselves with a chance to compete for the championship.

The teams are seeded one through eight and match up the same way as the NBA ( 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5). However, the first-round series is only a best of three.

From there, four teams advance to the semifinals. These series are longer but are only a best of five. After that, two teams will remain to battle it out for the WNBA title.

The championship round is the same as the semifinals as it is a best-of-five series. Whichever team picks up three wins first will earn the right to call themselves champions.

Last season, the No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces took on the No. 2 seed New York Liberty in the finals. A'ja Wilson and company ended up winning in four games to repeat as champions.

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Current WNBA standings coming out of All-Star/Olympics break

Before the break, every WNBA team played 24 or 25 games. This leaves them with 15 to 16 remaining matchups in this final stretch. Before the postseason push gets underway, here is a look at how the standings are shaping up.

Sitting atop the standings is the New York Liberty, who posted a 21-4 record before the break. They currently hold a two-and-a-half game lead over the Connecticut Sun, who find themselves in second place at 18-6.

Heading into the season, all eyes were on the Aces as they attempted to pull off a three-peat. They are in the playoff picture but are in fifth place with a 16-8 record.

Coming in at the final two spots are teams led by some of the top rookies. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever currently sit in seventh place with an 11-15 record. One spot below them is the Chicago Sky, who are led by fellow Rookie of the Year frontrunner Angel Reese.

As of now, these are the eight teams who look like they are going to make the WNBA playoffs this season.

1. New York Liberty (21-4)
2. Connecticut Sun (18-6)
3. Minnesota Lynx (17-8)
4. Seattle Storm (17-8)
5. Las Vegas Aces (16-8)
6. Phoenix Mercury (13-12)
7. Indiana Fever (11-15)
8. Chicago Sky (10-14)