Last year, all four first-round series ended in sweeps. This season, three of four are going the distance.
The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx rallied from a 17-point deficit to sweep the Golden State Valkyries on the road in Wednesday’s nightcap.
But earlier in the night, the Phoenix Mercury won on the road at New York’s Barclays Center to take the defending champion Liberty to Game 3.
And on Tuesday, both the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever won to force their series to a decisive Game 3, with the Storm ending the Las Vegas Aces’ 17-game winning streak.
The first round continues Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The best-of-three first round is playing a 1-1-1 format this season, with the higher seed hosting Game 1 and Game 3. The higher seed hosted Games 1 and 2 last season.
The WNBA semifinals, which start Sunday, is a best-of-five 2-2-1 setup, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2 and 5.
For the first time, the WNBA Finals — which are scheduled to open Oct. 3 — will expand to a best-of-seven series (2-2-1-1-1) in which the higher seed would host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
We’ll update each series as games are played and each round as matchups are decided.
Jump to round:
First Round | Semifinals | WNBA Finals
MORE: Strengths, flaws for every team | Top 25 players in the postseason
FIRST ROUND
Game 1: Lynx 101, Valkyries 72
Game 2: Lynx 75, Valkyries 74
Game 3*: Valkyries at Lynx, Friday, TBD, ESPN2
Game 1: Aces 102, Storm 77
Game 2: Storm 86, Aces 83
Game 3: Storm at Aces, Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Game 1: Dream 80, Fever 68
Game 2: Fever 77, Dream 60
Game 3: Fever at Dream, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69
Game 2: Mercury 86, Liberty 60
Game 3*: Liberty at Mercury, Friday, TBD, ESPN2
* If necessary
SEMIFINALS
Sunday, Sept. 21
Game 1: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 1: 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, Sept. 23
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Sept. 26
Game 3: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 3: 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Sunday, Sept. 28
Game 4*: 1 or 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4*: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Game 5*: TBD (TBD)
Game 5*: TBD (TBD)
* If necessary
WNBA FINALS
Friday, Oct. 3
Game 1: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 5
Game 2: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Wednesday, Oct. 8
Game 3: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Oct. 10
Game 4: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 12
Game 5*: 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Wednesday, Oct. 15
Game 6*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Oct. 17
Game 7*: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
* If necessary
