The 2022 WNBA semifinals are in full swing. Eight teams qualified for the playoffs, and the first round featured the No. 1 Las Vegas Aces vs. the No. 8 Phoenix Mercury, No. 4 Seattle Storm vs. No. 5 Washington Mystics, No. 2 Chicago Sky vs. No. 7 New York Liberty, and No. 3 Connecticut Sun vs. No. 6 Dallas Wings. The semifinals begin on Sunday, August 28.
The No. 1 seed Aces were the first to clinch a spot as they eliminated the No. 8 Mercury in two games. The No. 4 seed Storm also clinched in two games over the No. 5 Mystics. The first game of the series between Las Vegas and Seattle will tip at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 28 and will air on ESPN.
Who has advanced to the semifinals?
No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces
The Aces won Game 1 of their series with the Mercury, 79-63. Star forward A’ja Wilson and center Kiah Stokes dominated the boards combining for 25 points. Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young led the scoring with 55 total points between the trio. Las Vegas then put on a show in Game 2, taking the series-clinching 117-80 win. Gray and Plum combined for 49 points as the Aces took a 63-44 lead into halftime and never looked back.
No. 4 Seattle Storm
The first game against the Mystics has been the best game of the playoffs so far. With 38.1 seconds left in the game, Jewell Loyd nailed a 16-ft. jump shot to put Seattle up 82-81. She then made two free throws to push it to 84-81, and teammate Breanna Stewart made both of her free throws to seal it. Stewart finished with a double-double as she paired 12 rebounds with her team-high 23 points. The Storm played an all-around solid game in Game 2 on Sunday. All five starters finished with double-digit points, and the veteran Sue Bird had a double-double with 1-0 assists and 18 points.