The first round of the WNBA playoffs delivered the heat this weekend

The GIST: The short and spicy best-of-three first round WNBA playoffs delivered the heat this weekend, with one squad already punching their ticket to the semis and the others on the edge of first-round glory.

Yesterday’s games: To no one’s surprise, the No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces are advancing to the semis for the fifth straight season, after sweeping the No. 8 Chicago Sky. Four Aces hit double-digit points in yesterday’s 92–70 dub, led by reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, who scored 38 and notched 16 (!!!) rebounds.

• Meanwhile, the No. 6 Minnesota Lynx pounced on a lackluster defensive performance from the No. 2 Connecticut Sun yesterday, winning 82–75 and forcing Game 3 back in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

• The Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride scored career playoff highs with 26 and 28 points, respectively, with Collier earning a double-double, despite being temporarily sidelined with back pain. Sheesh.

Tomorrow’s games: After thrashing the No. 7 Washington Mystics 90–75 on Friday, the No. 2 NY Liberty can clinch a semis berth with a win tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET. If Libs superstar Sabrina Ionescu keeps drilling threes, it shouldn’t be a problem.

• Shortly after, the No. 4 Dallas Wings will go for a series-clinching win against the No. 5 Atlanta Dream at 9 p.m. ET. Friday’s back-and-forth tilt was the most dramatic postseason game yet, and something tells us that the Dream won’t let the Wings shake off their first-round playoff curse too easily.