The matchups for the 2024 WNBA playoffs are set:
- No. 1-seed New York Liberty vs. No. 8-seed Atlanta Dream
- No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7-seed Phoenix Mercury
- No. 3-seed Connecticut Solar vs. No. 6-seed Indiana Fever
- No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 5-seed Seattle Storm
The playoffs start on Sunday with a quadruple header, kicking off with the Liberty internet hosting the Dream at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. On ABC at 3 p.m. ET, the Solar and Fever will tip off their sequence. The Lynx and Mercury then meet at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, with Aces and Storm dealing with off at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
On Thursday, the Dream defeated the Liberty 78-67 to punch their postseason ticket for the second-straight season. It was a largely uneventful affair, with New York managing core gamers’ minutes forward of the postseason. Tina Charles, nevertheless, did make historical past, with the New York native and former Liberty star turning into the WNBA’s all-time chief in rebounds (4,014) and double-doubles (194). She completed the sport with 10 factors and 10 boards.
The Solar locked up the No. 3 seed with an authoritative 87-54 win over the Sky. Sunk by an injury-induced 3-13 document because the Olympic break, Chicago misses the playoffs for the primary time in 5 seasons. Regardless of a one-point win over the Fever, 92-91, in entrance of the biggest crowd in WNBA historical past, the Mystics additionally find yourself exterior the postseason image. Washington and Chicago will be part of the Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Sparks within the lottery. LA has the perfect odds for the No. 1 decide; nevertheless, as a result of Dallas has the proper to swap picks with Chicago (a situation of the 2023 commerce that despatched Marina Mabrey from Dallas to Chicago), the Wings have two stabs on the No. 1 choice.
Let’s discuss the 2025 lottery:
With the worst cumulative 2-year document, LA individually has the perfect odds for the No. 1 decide (44.2%)
HOWEVER, as a result of Dallas + Chicago are within the lottery, + Dallas can swap picks w/ CHI, the Wings basically have a forty five.4% probability for the highest decide…
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) September 20, 2024
The Solar’s win over the Sky rendered the Aces’ finale towards the Wings meaningless, with Vegas, locked into the No. 4 seed, resting their traditional beginning 5, however nonetheless getting the 98-84 win. The Lynx likewise rested Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride, ensuing within the Sparks closing out a disappointing marketing campaign with a 68-51 victory.
Whereas the matchup between the Storm and Mercury additionally had no implication on playoff positioning, it may need had a lot for league historical past, because it may have been the final dwelling sport for Diana Taurasi. The No. 7 seed, Phoenix will solely host a house playoff sport in the event that they lengthen their first-round sequence towards No. 2-seed Minnesota to a few video games. Whether or not or not that occurs, Taurasi continued to stay evasive about whether or not or not that is, in truth, her closing season, regardless of the celebratory ambiance.
A contingent of Taurasi’s household and pals, together with her dad and mom, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and longtime good friend/teammate/rival Sue Chook, have been in attendance, whereas her teammates wore numerous editions of her jersey earlier than the sport. Taurasi additionally entered the sport late within the fourth quarter for a closing curtain name, as the gang at Footprint Heart showered her with “DT” and “another yr” chants. After the sport, the staff performed brief tribute video earlier than Taurasi spoke to the gang, ending her feedback by saying, “If this was the final time, it felt like the primary time.”
Postgame, Taurasi elaborated on her mindset, sharing, “I feel as soon as’s the season’s over, I’ll have a greater thought of what it seems like for me sooner or later.” She performed 18 minutes and scored 9 factors within the 89-70 loss to Seattle. And, if that is it, Taurasi finishes her profession with 10,646 factors, beginning all 565 regular-season video games in her 20-year profession.
First-round schedule
No. 1-seed New York Liberty vs. No. 8-seed Atlanta Dream
Recreation 1: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN) in New York
Recreation 2: Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in New York
Recreation 3: Thursday, Sept. 26 at TBD (ESPN2) in Atlanta [if necessary]
No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7-seed Phoenix Mercury
Recreation 1: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Minnesota
Recreation 2: Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Minnesota
Recreation 3: Friday, Sept. 27 at TBD (ESPN2) in Phoenix [if necessary]
No. 3-seed Connecticut Solar vs. No. 6-seed Indiana Fever
Recreation 1: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. ET (ABC) in Connecticut
Recreation 2: Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Connecticut
Recreation 3: Friday, Sept. 27 at TBD (ESPN2) in Indiana [if necessary]
No. 4-seed Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 5-seed Seattle Storm
Recreation 1: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Las Vegas
Recreation 2: Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Las Vegas
Recreation 3: Thursday, Sept. 26 at TBD (ESPN2) in Seattle [if necessary]
