The opening round of the WNBA Playoffs is in the books, and it delivered plenty of drama. Every series went the distance to a decisive Game 3 except for the dominant Minnesota Lynx, who edged out the Golden State Valkyries in a thrilling sweep.
Now, with the Indiana Fever set to clash with the Las Vegas Aces, and the Phoenix Mercury preparing to face off against the surging Lynx, the stage is set for an electrifying semifinal round.
Strap in as we break down each matchup with our top WNBA picks in these intense best-of-five series, with the final four teams battling to punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals.
Fever vs. Aces
This is the kind of series you grab the popcorn for.
The Indiana Fever are riding high after pulling off a gritty two-point upset over the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 — on the road, no less.
Meanwhile, out west, the Las Vegas Aces gave fans a heart-stopper of their own, narrowly escaping the Seattle Storm with a one-point win in their own Game 3 thriller.
One thing’s for sure: both teams are running on pure adrenaline. But if I’m placing bets, my money’s on the Aces.
Indiana has proven they’re not to be overlooked, even with quite a few key players missing. But Las Vegas has been on a tear, dropping just one game since August 3. That’s not luck; that’s Vegas magic.
Fresh off earning Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors, A’ja Wilson has shifted into another gear — anchoring the Aces’ defense and steering them toward another Finals run.
Yes, the Fever took the regular-season series 2-1, but context matters. That was before the Aces found their rhythm and when Indiana was still at full strength.
I won’t count the Fever out — they’ll make it a fight — but I’m calling a four-game battle with Las Vegas punching their ticket back to the WNBA Finals since 2023.
Series Pick: Aces (-1500 at FanDuel)
- Game 1 Time: Sunday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: ABC
Mercury vs. Lynx
Oh, how the mighty have fallen — the Phoenix Mercury just knocked out the defending champs, sending the New York Liberty home early.
But their next challenge is even tougher: the revenge-fueled Minnesota Lynx, who’ve had their sights set on redemption ever since last year’s WNBA Finals heartbreak.
The Lynx dominated the regular-season series, winning three of four against the Mercury, and that trend could carry over. Expect a mix of blowouts and nail-biters — just like their previous matchups.
Phoenix comes in with confidence and a chip on their shoulder after toppling a giant, but Minnesota is deeper, tougher, and laser-focused.
This series has all the makings of a classic. I’m calling it now: it goes the distance to a winner-takes-all Game 5, with the Lynx punching their ticket back to the Finals — this time, ready to finish the job.
Series Pick: Lynx (-750 at FanDuel)
- Game 1 Time: Sunday, September 21 at 5:00 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: ESPN
Sunday’s WNBA games
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