2024 WNBA Semifinals Playoff Preview

Given how much parity there was in the WNBA this season, with several legitimate contenders heading into the playoffs, it was a somewhat anticlimactic first round. 

All four series matchups only lasted two games apiece, as the Minnesota Lynx swept the Phoenix Mercury, the Las Vegas Aces swept the Seattle Storm, the Connecticut Sun swept the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty swept the Atlanta Dream. Over the course of three game days, four WNBA teams’ seasons were halted, leaving just four more to compete for the 2024 championship. 

Here’s what fans are in store for with the two WNBA playoff series matchups that remain:

4 Las Vegas Aces vs. 1 New York Liberty 

Given the recent history between these two franchises, this series between the Aces and Liberty could potentially make for one of the biggest semifinals matchups the league has seen in years. 

There was a world where WNBA fans could’ve gotten a Diana Taurasi and Caitlin Clark head-to-head semifinal matchup. Had the Lynx and Sun been eliminated, which would’ve allowed for some made-for-T.V. storylines. This matchup between the Aces and Liberty, however, is plenty exciting in its own right. 

This was the WNBA Finals matchup last season in 2023, so these two teams know each other better than any other teams in the league. The Aces and Liberty also had the most collective players participate on the United States women’s national basketball team. These rosters know each other quite well, after the time they spent together in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Over the past few years, it has been Las Vegas’ league. Even after a more middle-of-the-pack season record-wise, the Aces are still the back-to-back champions and have an elite roster headlined by star player A’ja Wilson. She just won her third MVP in the last five seasons. Suffice it to say, the WNBA has run through Las Vegas so far this decade. 

Then there’s the Liberty, who added Breanna Stewart just last season, and in her first year with the team, brought New York to a Finals appearance against the Aces. Stewart and trusty co-star Sabrina Ionescu have dominated the league all season. It was no surprise when they clinched a playoff berth on Aug. 17, well over a month before the playoffs commenced. 

In the first round of the playoffs, both the Aces and Liberty took care of business against the respective squads they were facing. 

Over the course of two games against the Storm, A’ja Wilson scored 45 points and tallied 21 rebounds. The team also got strong contributions from other players like Tiffany Hayes, who had 20 points off the bench for the Aces in game one. Kelsey Plum also chipped in a team-high 29 points in game two. 

The Liberty found similar success against the Dream. Players like Leonie Fiebich and Jonquel Jones stepped up when needed, and Ionescu in particular added her own flavor, especially in game two when she dropped 36 points. 

This series will be one for the books, as these have been the teams to beat in the WNBA as of late. Will it be the Aces who will ultimately get a chance at competing for a three-peat, or will the Liberty get to play for their turn on top once and for all? 

2 Minnesota Lynx vs.  3 Connecticut Sun 

This semifinal series between the Lynx and Sun promises to be just as hotly contested as the series between the Aces and Liberty. 

Even though the headlines have been more Aces and Liberty-centric over the past two seasons, either one of these two squads competing for a trip to the WNBA Finals could easily emerge victorious when all is said and done. 

The Western Conference has seemingly been Minnesota’s for the taking all year. After two years below the .500 mark in a post-Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore era, the Lynx have moved back to the top of the standings. 

Whether it’s been dynamic play on both sides of the ball from players like recent Olympic gold medalist Napheesa Collier, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, or leadership on the sideline from 2024 Executive and Coach of the Year, Minnesota Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx have resolidified themselves as a cornerstone franchise in the WNBA this season. 

Then there’s the Sun, who have been one of the more consistent squads over the past few seasons. In fact, since 2017, the Sun have never finished below third place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

The last time Connecticut made an appearance in the WNBA Finals was back in 2019, when they fell to Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics. This time around, however, the Sun are ready to compete for a return to the Finals, still in search of their first championship. Thanks to play from stars like Alyssa Thomas, another Olympian, and All-Star DeWanna Bonner, that elusive first championship is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. 

Just as the Aces and Liberty did, the Lynx and Sun fared well in the first round of the playoffs. The Lynx were anchored by a 42-point performance from Collier in game two against the Mercury to put an end to their series, while Connecticut’s well-distributed efforts in the box score outdid Caitlin Clark and the Fever to knock off Indiana. 

The reality is that any of these four squads across the two semifinal series matchups could take their teams all the way to the promised land. Only time will tell how each franchise will fare, however, when push comes to shove, these are some of the most exciting best-of-five showdowns the league will ever witness. 

Game one between the Aces and Liberty is slated for 3:00 p.m. EST on ABC while the first game between the Lynx and Sun is slated for 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN, all on Sept. 29.