Becky Hammon isn't a fan of this year's new playoffs format, and she didn't hold back from explaining why. While speaking to reporters after the Aces' win over the Seattle Storm Sunday, Hammon said point blank: "I don't like it."
"You look at a team like Phoenix, dropping that one, they're gonna have all the pressure. I mean, unbelievably tough to now have to fly to New York. And New York has a tough one, flying to Phoenix, back to New York, potentially back to Phoenix," she explained.
Pregame goods from me:
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) September 15, 2025
1) Becky Hammon's thoughts on the 1-1-1 playoff format
2) Noelle Quinn on trying to counter teams stashing bigger wings on Skylar Diggins (0:47 mark) pic.twitter.com/5iaGJdXP47
Hammon then threw the Fever into the mix. "I think this conversation came up last year, when Indiana didn't get a game, and they were upset. But for me, people just gotta get, you gotta finish better," she continued. "Either move it to five [games], or it stays in the 2-1 format, because it puts the higher seed at actually a huge disadvantage."
What's different about the 2025 WNBA playoffs
This year the first round of the playoffs are following a 1-1-1 format, which gives both teams the opportunity to host a game. In the past, the first two games the top seed hosted the best-of-three series, which meant teams may not have to travel if the home team won both. This year, the higher seed hosts the first game, then travels to the other team's city, and then, if necessary, travels back home to play a third game.
Hammon is correct that the reasoning behind the change is to give both teams — and their fans — the opportunity to experience a playoffs game at home. That does mean there's a bit of travel, but teams are generally used to traveling anyway throughout the regular season.
The Fever made it to the playoffs in 2024 but didn't get to host a game, something that surprised many of the team's fans given the popularity Caitlin Clark amassed during her rookie season.
Hammon and the Aces will head to Seattle
The Aces hosted the Storm Sunday, September 14, and soundly throttled the team 102-77. Las Vegas will travel to Seattle ahead of the two teams' second game on September 16.
The Aces were led by A'ja Wilson, who racked up 29 points. Jackie Young added on 18 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals of her own, Jewell Loyd came away with 14 points, Dana Evans had 13, and NaLyssa Smith added 11 points and 9 rebounds.