The top four seeds successfully made it out of their first-round series, with the No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces now set to face off against the No. 4 seed Seattle Storm, while the No. 2 Chicago Sky take on the No. 3 Connecticut Sun.
Here's everything you need to know about the semi-final match-ups of the WNBA Playoffs:
(1) Las Vegas Aces vs. (4) Seattle Storm
Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum. (Sam Morris/AP)
A rematch of the 2020 WNBA Finals, this time around Las Vegas wants to get the better of the women's basketball giants in Seattle with a revitalized roster since being swept two seasons ago.
Among the most important changes for Las Vegas is the availability of Kelsey Plum, who missed the entire 2020 season after tearing her Achilles — though another injury will be noticeable on the Aces as Dearica Hamby is still not playing. Plum ranked first in three pointers made this season, netting 113, while also averaging 20.2 points per game.
Another major upgrade for the Aces is Chelsea Gray, who averaged 6.1 assists per game and added 1.6 steals per game on defence, both stats good for fourth in the league in their respective categories.
Seven first-overall picks are meeting up in this match-up, and one who looks to be the most improved from their rookie season is Las Vegas' Jackie Young, who averaged a career-high 15.9 points per game this season while shooting 43.1 per cent from the three-point line, which ranks third in the league.
As for the Storm, they of course are looking to give Sue Bird the farewell tour she deserves, and Bird is still playing some of the best basketball of her career: she averaged 14 points and six assists per game in Seattle's first-round sweep of the Washington Mystics.
The real competition on the court will be between the two MVP front-runners in Seattle's Breanna Stewart and Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson, who are similar in almost every category this season. Stewie won the scoring title with 22 points per game and averaged a double-double with 11 rebounds per game on top of six assists.
Wilson was behind her fellow high-scoring teammate in Plum, but averaged 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.9 blocks per game this season.
Each team's bench has also provided massive support throughout the playoffs. For Seattle, Gabby Williams has averaged 13 points per game, while Riquna Williams had a massive 11-point, five-rebound performance for Las Vegas in Game 2.
Both teams are sharpshooting, leading the league from beyond the arc and knocking down over 50 per cent from three in the first round. The Aces also hit a record 23 three-pointers against the Phoenix Mercury.
The series will be an evenly matched back-and-forth battle, but the Aces get the edge as they're riding the momentum of a six-game win streak from the end of the regular season, including two wins by at least eight points against Seattle.
Prediction: Aces in five
(2) Chicago Sky vs. (3) Connecticut Sun
Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker and guard Courtney Vandersloot celebrate. (Noah K. Murray/AP)
Much of the Sky's core from their championship roster returned for the 2022 season, which makes them one of the scarier teams to play against. Not only do they have championship DNA, they have a chemistry that carries through to this season and that's apparent in their style of play.
Connecticut has one of the most talented starting rotations in the league, with five different players averaging double-digit scoring this season, including last year's Most Improved Player and one of Connecticut's best reserves in Brionna Jones.
The two met up last year in the WNBA semi-finals, and as the Sun have advanced to their fourth straight playoff semi-final, this time around they'll want to be on the winning side of this series.
The Sky swept the season series against the Sun, though no game was ever won by double digits and their final two meetings of the season were decided by just three points, including a battle on Aug. 7.
Candace Parker helped her hometown club win its first-ever title in franchise history, and is currently the playoff leader in rebounds, averaging 11.7 per game on top of 14.3 points and 5.7 assists per game. Teammate Courtney Vandersloot is averaging 14.3 points and eight assists, while Kahleah Copper has 18.7 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Emma Meesseman and Rebekah Gardner have been stellar off the bench for Chicago in the playoffs, proving that their depth goes beyond the skill of their starting five.
Chicago has talent throughout its roster and the team's depth is what makes them such a contender to run it back for another title, but if any team is a match for the Sky, it's Connecticut.
Jonquel Jones, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones are all averaging at least 11 points per game through the playoffs, and Jonquel and Brionna Jones and Alyssa Thomas are also active on the boards, averaging at least five rebounds per game each — and Thomas is the only player breaking the 30 minutes per game mark these playoffs.
DiJonai Carrington and Natisha Hiedeman have been crucial for the Sun's bench rotation, not just in their scoring abilities but also with their defence, which has the power to fluster offences and turn turnovers into baskets to help Connecticut to double-digit wins.
While this series is also evenly matched with games possibly going to the wire every night, Chicago's 7-1 record in its last eight games against the Sun speaks for itself. While Connecticut is a team that always has an underdog mentality and can upset the giants, Chicago knows how to stop Connecticut better than anyone.
Prediction: Sky in four
