WNBA semifinals heading for Games 3 and 4 with both series tied

The GIST: Forget the Jo Bros, this weekend is all about WNBA hoops. Game 3s will grace our screens tonight, followed by a double dose of Game 4s on Sunday. Yes, with both best-of-five series knotted at one, that means the Finals matchup could be set before our next newsletter. Burnin’ up.

🃏 Las Vegas Aces vs. 🥵 Indiana Fever — Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET: This series started with back-to-back lopsided games in Vegas, featuring a disparity in superstar productivity. In the Fever’s convincing Game 1 win, Indy guard Kelsey Mitchell exploded for a playoff career-high 34 points, while the Aces’ four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson was held to just 16 points.

• Game 2 was an entirely different story: Wilson put up 25 points alongside a playoff career-high five steals, and Mitchell managed only 13 points. Sure, playoff games aren’t won singlehandedly, but a team’s top player can define the series, for better or for worse.

🐱 Minnesota Lynx vs. 🪐 Phoenix Mercury — Tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET: The Mercury’s 20-point Game 2 comeback flipped this series on its head. And while Phoenix proved resilient, the Lynx’s lack of composure in the second half — including a pivotal 65-second third-quarter stretch featuring four (of their 17) turnovers — was uncharacteristic.

• Now, momentum is squarely with the Mercury, especially with the next two games in Arizona. Both teams boast depth, defense, and star power, meaning Game 3 will come down to execution…just like the second half of Game 2. Pop that corn.