• 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 2 and 3 on the home court of the team with the higher seed.
• The series for the WNBA Finals is in a best-of-five format with Games 1, 2 and 5 on the home court of the team with the higher seed.
• Reseeding (as used in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) is not in use: therefore, all playoff matchups are predetermined via the teams' seedings.

Eastern Conference edit

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:

1. Connecticut Sun (26–8)
2. Detroit Shock (23–11)
3. Indiana Fever (21–13)
4. Washington Mystics (18–16)

Western Conference edit

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:

1. Los Angeles Sparks (25–9)
2. Sacramento Monarchs (21–13)
3. Houston Comets (18–16)
4. Seattle Storm (18–16)

This was the outlook for the 2006 WNBA Playoffs. Teams in italics had home court advantage. Teams in bold advanced to the next round. Numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's original playoffs seeding in their respective conferences. Numbers to the right of each team indicate the number of games the team won in that round.

First round edit

(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (4) Washington Mystics edit

(2) Detroit Shock vs. (3) Indiana Fever edit

Conference finals edit

(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (2) Detroit Shock edit

First round edit

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

(2) Sacramento Monarchs vs. (3) Houston Comets edit

Conference finals edit

(1) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (2) Sacramento Monarchs edit