2024 WNBA semifinals: How to watch, schedule, tipoff times and predictions

For the first time in the three seasons of this WNBA playoff format, all four first-round series ended in sweeps. But the beauty of chalk early is that all four remaining teams are legitimate championship contenders. The league could not have scripted a more hotly-contested series in the semifinals.

As a reminder, the second rounds of the WNBA playoffs are five-game series in the standard 2-2-1 format with the home team hosting a potential decisive Game 5. Here is a reminder of how to watch these games, how these teams fared against one another during the regular season, and what to look forward to as they meet for the opportunity to advance to the WNBA Finals.

Regular-season meetings: Liberty went 3-0 against Aces

Game 1 at New York: 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, ABC

Game 2 at New York: TBD, Tuesday

Game 3 at Las Vegas: 9:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN2

Game 4 (if necessary) at Las Vegas: TBD, Sunday

Game 5 (if necessary) at New York: TBD, Tuesday, ESPN2

Regular-season meetings: Sun went 2-1 against Lynx

Game 1 at Minnesota: 8:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, ESPN

Game 2 at Minnesota: TBD, Tuesday

Game 3 at Connecticut: 7:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN2

Game 4 (if necessary) at Connecticut: TBD, Sunday

Game 5 (if necessary) at Minnesota: TBD, Tuesday, ESPN2

The rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals comes a round earlier in 2024, as the Aces sputtered through parts of their regular season while the Liberty had the same record (32-8) as a year ago. New York dominated the series during the regular season, though Las Vegas was missing Chelsea Gray in the first meeting and A’ja Wilson in the last meeting. Still, the Liberty won by 12 on the road in August with the Aces at full strength. As Kelsey Plum said once the postseason matchup was set: “There’s no secret that they’ve taken care of business. … They’ve been the best team all year. They played like a team pissed off with an edge.”

New York shuffled its starting lineup to start the playoffs, benching veteran Courtney Vandersloot in favor of 6-foot-4 rookie Leonie Fiebich. Considering how much difficulty the Liberty had defending the Aces on the perimeter last season, adding another big wing next to Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is an important adjustment.

Laney-Hamilton has historically defended Gray, which meant that Jackie Young could get loose. But Fiebich has been up to the challenge against the three-time All-Star. Young, who received a vote for Finals MVP in 2023, has averaged 8.7 points in this season’s three losses to New York while shooting 29 percent from the field. A rejuvenated Gray will make life easier for Young, as the “Point Gawd” can find Young in her spots off the ball, specifically as a cutter. The Aces need All-Star production from Young against the best offense in the WNBA.

Leo got into Playoff mode yesterday and locked IN 🔒🦁 pic.twitter.com/fXxsqI687I

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) September 23, 2024

Jonquel Jones was New York’s best and most consistent player in the 2023 postseason, putting up 17 points and 10 rebounds per game in the finals on almost 60 percent shooting from the field. Her success often forces the Aces to play Kiah Stokes so that Wilson doesn’t have to defend Jones on every possession, even though Stokes compromises Las Vegas’ offense because the Liberty don’t guard her.

Jones had a quiet second half of the season, averaging 8.4 field-goal attempts per game. That number has to be in the double digits against the Aces. Jones needs to command attention at all times so that Wilson can’t roam as a help defender, where she is devastating. Jones is also New York’s best hope of containing Wilson one-on-one so that the Liberty don’t have to double and spring leaks elsewhere on defense.

The pick: New York in four

The undercard of the semifinal round is by no means any less interesting, as the most modern offense in the league takes on the most modern defense.

No team finished the regular season on a better run than the Lynx, who collected four wins against the other three semifinalists in the final 15 games. And the Lynx continued that heater into the postseason on the back of Napheesa Collier, who became the first player in league history to average 40 points for a playoff series. But Minnesota lost twice to Connecticut this year and needed a deeeeeep Bridget Carleton 3-pointer to pull off its lone win in the final week of the regular season to give the Lynx home court in this round.

Coach Cheryl Reeve has said throughout the season the Lynx aren’t a super-team, but rather a collective that has to work together. Similarly, Connecticut coach Steph White said Wednesday, “We’re not a team that’s built to be carried by two or three players. … We’re a team that needs everybody that steps on the floor to be productive and to make winning plays.”

Myisha Hines-Allen brings championship experience as a Minnesota reserve (in a finals series against Connecticut) and her quickness is an asset against the Sun’s frontcourt. White lauded Olivia Nelson-Ododa for her scheme discipline against Indiana, and that will be even more important against the Lynx, who whip the ball around.

Natisha Hiedeman, who played with Connecticut last year, was Minnesota’s best point guard in its closeout game, and Veronica Burton has added a new element for the Sun with her rim pressure. Potential X-factors dot both teams’ lineups. Expect the winner to be the one that gets more contributions throughout its roster.

Over the past two seasons, Collier has averaged more than 25 points against the Sun, despite the presence of terrific frontcourt defenders in Connecticut. Her versatility makes it hard to play any single coverage against her, and she is on perhaps the best roll of her career after winning her first WNBA playoff series.

80??

yep, 80. 👑 pic.twitter.com/5uv0Fj2CEt

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) September 27, 2024

Alyssa Thomas’ aggression as a scorer, which can put opposing bigs in foul trouble, was key in the first round for Connecticut. Perhaps the Sun’s best course of action is attacking Collier on defense with Thomas’ drives to the rim. Then again, the Lynx forward is the presumptive Defensive Player of the Year and has contended with the likes of Thomas, Breanna Stewart and Wilson all season.

The pick: Minnesota in five

The Athletic

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Connecticut Sun, Las Vegas Aces, WNBA

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