WNBA Semi-Finals Mid-Series Feature
Image Credit: Mark Schlabach, Bleacher Report
The WNBA playoffs are underway as the league’s top teams look to hoist the WNBA Championship Trophy. No surprises occurred in the first round matchups as the higher seeded teams all ended up winning their series in a 2-0 sweep. This setup semifinal matchups featuring the Las Vegas Aces going up against the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx battling the Connecticut Sun.
Image Credit: ForTheWin, USA Today | Pictured: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Starting off with the matchup that has probably the most recognizable names in the W, the Liberty versus Aces series has plenty of star power and has provided highlight reel basketball through the first three games. With the Liberty boasting names such as Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones just to name a few, they have been the most dominant team in the league this year with a record of 32-8. They were the only team to not have double digit losses and they have been consistently stacked all year.
Image Credit: Candice Ward, Getty Images | Pictured: A'Ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
On the opposite end of the court, the phenom that is A’Ja Wilson headlines the lineup from Sin City. Not only is Wilson the league’s MVP, she has also been a multiple time MVP in her young career and has won the last two WNBA championships with the Aces. Alongside her are other familiar names such as Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.
The Liberty took Game 1 and Game 2 in New York but the Aces took Game 3 when the series came back to Las Vegas. Game 4 tips off at 3 p.m. EST on ABC and the Aces will look to build off the momentum from their dominant 95-81 victory in Game 3. If Las Vegas wins, the series goes back to New York for Game 5. If New York wins, the series is over and the Liberty will punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals.
In the matchup of the second seed Minnesota Lynx versus the third seed Connecticut Sun, two teams who are fairly evenly matched have already had an impressive start to the series. The Sun took Game 1 in Minnesota before the Lynx turned it around in Game 2. With the series moving to Connecticut, the Lynx came in and took the w to maintain their homecourt advantage.
Image Credit: Jordan Johnson, Getty Images | Pictured: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
While the Sun-Lynx series may hold less household names within it, the series still has plenty of talent with players like Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride for the Lynx and Alyssa Thomas, Marina Mabrey and DeWanna Bonner for the Sun. If the Sun win, Game 5 will be held in Minnesota to for a winner-takes-all matchup. If the Lynx win, Minnesota will go to their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2017. Game 4 starts at 5 p.m. EST on ESPN.
