WNBA playoff field and matchups set with Atlanta clinching the final spot

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA playoffs are set with the Atlanta Dream getting the eighth seed on Thursday night.

The postseason begins Sunday with four best-of-three matchups. The Dream face the top-seeded New York Liberty. The Minnesota Lynx, the No. 2 seed, will host the No. 7 seed Phoenix Mercury while 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 better seeded team will host the first two games of the series with a potential decisive third game to be played at the site of the lower seeded squad.

Three of the eight playoff positions came down to the final day of the regular season.

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. Connecticut knocked off Chicago 87-54 to secure the No. 3 seed.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Associated Press