NEW YORK — It took till the overall life of the 2024 WNBA season for the playoff bracket to be settled, however the Atlanta Dream claimed the 8th and ultimate postseason i’m right Thursday evening with a 78-67 over the Untouched York Self rule.
Atlanta entered the night time desiring a win to clinch its 2nd consecutive playoff berth. Date Untouched York had clinched the Incorrect. 1 total seed on Tuesday evening, the Self rule nonetheless performed a habitual rotation right through the primary part and started the 3rd quarter with 4 in their ordinary starters nonetheless in motion.
Dream heart Tina Charles completed the victory with 10 issues and 10 rebounds, atmosphere unutilized WNBA occupation information for rebounds and double-doubles within the sport. She handed Sylvia Fowles’ 4,006 rebound mark simply over 3 mins within the first quarter and Fowles’ 193 double-double mark halfway throughout the 3rd quarter. Charles, the Incorrect. 1 select within the 2010 WNBA Draft through the Connecticut Solar, is the lone participant in WNBA historical past ever to document greater than 4,000 rebounds and seven,000 occupation issues.
Dream wing Rhyne Howard and ahead Naz Hillmon led Atlanta with 13 issues apiece.
Having gained and made consecutive postseason appearances for the primary year since 2013-14, the Dream gained’t must walk some distance. They packed for a week-long travel to Untouched York and can face the Self rule once more Sunday to viewable the postseason.
“This year is special. This has definitely been the toughest year for us with everything that has gone on,” trainer Tanisha Wright mentioned. “I’m really proud of our athletes for continuing to fight and never giving in because I think it’s easy to give in after the season that we’ve had… They fought all year no matter our circumstances, no matter who was available to us and so that, that’s a special group over there.”
Thursday evening had the potential of some insanity. The Washington Mystics may have clinched a playoff spot with a win, a loss through the Dream and a win through the Chicago Sky. The Sky, in the meantime, would have claimed the overall playoff spot had they gained and each Atlanta and Washington misplaced. Atlanta would have clinched a berth even with a loss, on account of Chicago’s defeat.
The Mystics, taking part in entrance of a unutilized all-time WNBA document 20,711 lovers, defeated the Indiana Fever on Thursday, 92-91. Indiana had already clinched the Incorrect. 6 seed and performed every of its 5 starters 20 mins or fewer. The Connecticut Solar defeated the Chicago Sky, 87-54, to each do away with Chicago from postseason competition and clinch the Incorrect. 3 seed. On account of Connecticut’s victory, the Las Vegas Aces changed into locked into the Incorrect. 4 seed.
Playoff matchups
Listed here are the postseason matchups and the beginning occasions for Sunday.
Self rule (1) vs. Dream (8) — 1 p.m. ET
Lynx (2) vs. Mercury (7) — 5 p.m. ET
Solar (3) vs. Fever (6) – 3 p.m. ET
Aces (4) vs. Hurricane (5) 10 p.m. ET
What’s the WNBA’s playoff layout?
Following the 2021 season, the WNBA altered its playoff layout to eliminate single-elimination video games and byes to the semifinals for the supremacy two seeds. Within the unutilized layout, the supremacy 8 groups from the habitual season, irrespective of convention, qualify for the postseason with all 8 collaborating in a best-of-three order for the primary around. The primary two video games of the order might be held at the homecourt of the upper seed, with the decrease seed later website hosting a Sport 3, if important. Incorrect decrease seed has ever dissatisfied the upper seed within the unutilized order layout.
The winners of the respective first-round order will walk within the bracket to the semifinals, the place the residue 4 groups will take part in a best-of-five order. The semifinals will start on Sept. 29.
The respective winners of the ones order will later walk to the WNBA Finals, which can be a best-of-five order. The WNBA Finals will start on Oct. 10, with a possible Sport 5 eager for Oct. 20.
What historical past may well be made within the postseason?
Right here is a few of what’s at stake within the playoffs:
- The Aces need to develop into the primary franchise to win 3 consecutive championships because the Houston Comets, who gained 4 consecutive titles from 1997-2000.
- The Self rule are eyeing their first championship in franchise historical past, having misplaced within the WNBA Finals 5 occasions, together with closing season.
- The Solar input the playoffs with the longest lively streak, relationship again to 2017. Ahead DeWanna Bonner has performed 80 postseason video games, and wishes simply 3 appearances to eager a unutilized document for occupation postseason appearances. She is ready to cross each Rebekkah Brunson (81) and Lindsay Whalen (82).
- Mercury cover Diana Taurasi is already the WNBA’s chief scorer within the postseason (1,455 issues), however she will upload to her resume in what may well be her ultimate postseason.
- Self rule cover Courtney Vandersloot will eager a unutilized document for occupation assists within the postseason with 3 extra assists. Sue Hen recently holds the document (362).
- Fever cover Caitlin Clark might be making her postseason debut next chief Indiana again to the playoffs for the primary year since 2016.
- The Lynx and Hurricane head into the playoffs join for essentially the most championships amongst lively WNBA franchises with 4 every.
Required studying
(Picture: Erica Denhoff / Icon Sportswire by the use of Getty Photographs)
