PHOENIX MERCURY

WNBA playoff bracket set, Mercury to visit Lynx on Sunday

Sep 19, 2024, 9:54 PM

Diana Taurasi...

Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury drives the ball against Kayla McBride #21 of the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of the WNBA game at Footprint Center on June 07, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The WNBA regular season is over, the playoff bracket is set and the Phoenix Mercury will begin their run on Sunday at the Minnesota Lynx.

First-round series are best-of-three, and Minnesota will host the first two games against Phoenix. The Mercury would host Game 3 if necessary.

Phoenix is the No. 7 seed after finishing the regular season with a 19-21 record. The Mercury dropped their finale to the Seattle Storm 89-70 on Thursday, a game that doubled as a celebration for legend Diana Taurasi in what may have been her final regular season contest — she has yet to say definitively if she will retire.

The No. 2 seed, Minnesota went 30-10 this season led by All-Star and Olympian Napheesa Collier. The Lynx went 3-1 this season against Phoenix.

When are the Mercury’s playoff games?

The WNBA released its playoff schedule.

Game 1 between the Mercury and Lynx is set for 2 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Game 3 would be Friday, Sept. 27, at a time to be determined on ESPN2.

What are the WNBA playoff matchups?

The No. 8 Atlanta Dream face the top-seeded New York Liberty. The No. 3 Connecticut Sun will welcome the No. 6 seed Indiana Fever and sensational rookie Caitlin Clark.

The final opening round matchup is the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces, the No. 4 seed, hosting the fifth-seeded Seattle Storm.

Las Vegas is trying to become the first team to win three titles in a row since Houston won four straight in the first four seasons of the WNBA — from 1997 to 2000.

The final playoff spot came down to the last day of the regular season. Atlanta needed a victory to clinch a spot and the Dream did just that by beating New York 78-67. The Liberty had already clinched the top seed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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