The 2025 WNBA regular season is wrapped, and the biggest takeaway is: The Golden State Valkyries. They have achieved much more than just a playoff berth. They have busted the long-standing myth that expansion or “new” teams, as coach Natalie Nakase has repeatedly mentioned, are destined to be bottom dwellers. Now they go up as the underdogs against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. Don’t be quick to rule the Valkyries out, because Natalie Nakase’s girls aren’t satisfied with just qualification. 

“We know every single team in this league is beatable,” said Golden State guard Veronica Burton, the AP Most Improved Player. “We can compete with anyone.” The clash between a balanced and historically experienced side like Lynx and a fresh but defense-heavy Valkyries is set to be one of its kind, even if ESPN marks it as a one-sided game. But who’s on the mic for Game 1 to make this showdown a blast? Let’s find out.

When is the Lynx vs. Valkyries WNBA Playoffs First Round Game 1?

Date: September 14, 2025

Tip-off Time: 1:00 pm EDT/10:00 am PT

Venue: Target Center

Capacity: 20,000

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Who is the play-by-play announcer for the Lynx vs. Valkyries Game 1?

Tiffany Greene will call ESPN’s Game 1 broadcast of the Minnesota Lynx vs. Golden State Valkyries, bringing her trademark energy and storytelling to the mic. “I love this. Like, I love this because I like being in control. I like being able to tell the stories that I want to tell or sharing just background on players,” Greene has said, a philosophy that has made her one of the most trusted voices in sports commentary.

Tiffany Greene is a pioneering play-by-play commentator at ESPN, covering a wide array of collegiate sports, including football, basketball, softball, and volleyball. She made history as the first African-American woman to serve as a play-by-play commentator for college football on a major network. Greene has also called games for the WNBA and NBA G-League and has been featured in several high-stakes postseason events, including the Celebration Bowl, FCS Playoffs, the Division II Football National Championship, and the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Tournament.

Who are the analysts for the Lynx vs. Valkyries Game 1?

Deb Antonelli and Brooke Weisbrod will serve as analysts for Game 1 of the Minnesota Lynx vs. Golden State Valkyries matchup. Antonelli brings 36 years of broadcast experience, including 25 with ESPN, and has been covering the WNBA since its very first season, with 23 combined years tied to the Indiana Fever and Charlotte Sting.

Brooke Weisbrod started her broadcasting career in 2004 while balancing a unique path outside of sports, working in sales within the scrap metal industry. Her versatility and drive eventually led her back to basketball full-time, and in 2016, she leaped to become a dedicated sports broadcaster with ESPN. Since then, she has built a reputation as a sharp and engaging voice, covering both women’s and men’s basketball in multiple roles as a game and studio analyst, reporter, and host.

Where can fans watch the WNBA Playoffs Lynx vs. Valkyries Game 1?

Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Minnesota Lynx and the Golden State Valkyries live on:

TV channel: ESPN

Streaming service: WNBA League Pass, ESPN App

The Minnesota Lynx enter the playoffs with unfinished business, still carrying the sting of their 2024 Finals loss. “We kind of had an idea of what we were capable of, and we know that we are a championship-caliber team,” Napheesa Collier said. “We want to end it a little happier than last year.” For the Lynx, it’s about redemption, not just participation.

On the other side, the Golden State Valkyries step into uncharted waters in their inaugural season, already exceeding expectations by clinching a WNBA Playoffs berth. With seasoned voices in the broadcast booth amplifying the moment, fans can expect a high-stakes showdown that blends revenge, ambition, and history in the making.