WNBA playoffs set to begin Sunday with all four first-round series getting underway

The defending champion Las Vegas Aces and A’ja Wilson will look to three-peat while sensation rookie Caitlin Clark makes her postseason debut when the WNBA playoffs begin Sunday.

Those are just two of the storylines to follow when the league’s postseason starts.

This is the third straight postseason the league will use a best-of-three format in the first round with the higher seeded team hosting the first two games. A decisive third game would be played at the home of the lower seed.

Many players and coaches weren't thrilled with the format especially now that the league provided teams charter flights all season long. The WNBA chartered flights for all playoff games starting in 2023.

“Now that we have charters that should have changed automatically,” New York forward Breanna Stewart said. “To create the home-court advantage. So there's just some, like, little nuances that need to be looked at and be dissected a little bit. Obviously if we can extend playoffs, it makes it feel a little bit less rushed.”

New York, which hosts Atlanta in the first round, played the Dream in the final regular-season game on Thursday. So both teams were already in the city for this weekend's opening game.

Here are a few things to look for:

Rookie debut

Caitlin Clark will try to become the first rookie since her idol, Maya Moore, to lead a team to the WNBA championship. The Fever open in Connecticut as the No. 6 seed. Clark had a stellar first year, breaking the league's assist record as well as setting the rookie points mark. Clark along with the rest of the rookie class helped lead the WNBA to incredible ratings and attendance this season.

Calling it a career?

Diana Taurasi hasn't announced whether this is her final year in the WNBA, but the Phoenix Mercury honored her at their final home regular-season game. Taurasi is the career playoff leader in points and would love a chance at one more championship. The Mercury have a tough road, facing No. 2 seed Minnesota in the opening round.

Three-peat

The Las Vegas Aces became the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02 to win consecutive WNBA titles and now are trying to become only the second team ever to win three consecutive championships. Led by Wilson, the fourth-seeded Aces are peaking at the right time, with nine wins in their last 10 games heading into the playoffs. The Aces started off slowly this season while Chelsea Gray was out recovering from a foot injury suffered in the WNBA Finals last year. First up is Seattle in the 4-5 matchup.

Record breakers

Courtney Vandersloot is three assists short of passing Sue Bird's playoff record of 364. The Liberty point guard has done it in 10 fewer games. ... Connecticut wing DeWanna Bonner is two games short of equaling Lindsay Whalen's mark of 82 playoff appearances. ... The Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm are tied with the Houston Comets for most championships with four each. New York is still looking for its first — it's the only original WNBA franchise left that hasn't win a title.

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

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press