Sunday Scroll: Hoop, there it is

Unlike most pro sports leagues where playoff berths are decided by divisional or conference standings, the W’s top eight teams (out of 12) qualify for the three-round postseason regardless of conference.

• The first round is best-of-three, with the higher seed securing home-court advantage for both Games 1 and 2 while the lower seed hosts the if-necessary deciding Game 3.

• Then, the semifinals and finals ramp up to a best-of-five series that will tip off on September 29th and October 10th, respectively.

Teams are competing for championship glory and cash. Every player in the playoffs receives a bonus postseason paycheck. Teams eliminated in the first round receive $1.6K per player, a second-round exit secures $3.1K per player while championship runners-up bag $7.7K each.

• As for the champs, each player will earn a well-deserved $20.8K bonus. Doing it for the plot and the Benjamins.

Unlike most pro sports leagues where playoff berths are decided by divisional or conference standings, the W’s top eight teams (out of 12) qualify for the three-round postseason regardless of conference.

• The first round is best-of-three, with the higher seed securing home-court advantage for both Games 1 and 2 while the lower seed hosts the if-necessary deciding Game 3.

• Then, the semifinals and finals ramp up to a best-of-five series that will tip off on September 29th and October 10th, respectively.

Teams are competing for championship glory and cash. Every player in the playoffs receives a bonus postseason paycheck. Teams eliminated in the first round receive $1.6K per player, a second-round exit secures $3.1K per player while championship runners-up bag $7.7K each.

• As for the champs, each player will earn a well-deserved $20.8K bonus. Doing it for the plot and the Benjamins.

The matchup: The No. 1 seed Liberty have only lost four games since the Olympic break and are firing on all cylinders as they hoop for the franchise’s elusive first title. That’s right, the Liberty are the only original WNBA franchise yet to win a championship. They’ve come this close, finishing as runners-up five times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2023).

• NY’s first-round foe is the Atlanta Dream, who squeaked into the postseason by beating the Libs on Thursday night to book back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2014.

Players to watch: The Libs have star power up and down their roster, led by two-time WNBA champ Breanna Stewart, three-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu, and 2021 league MVP Jonquel Jones. But Betnijah Laney-Hamilton anchors the Big Apple’s defense — her tenacity is integral for this seafoam superteam’s success.

• WNBA All-Star Rhyne Howard is the Dream’s future, but veteran Tina Charles has been key to the team’s late-season success. The future Hall of Famer broke not one but two all-time records on Thursday and now holds both the rebounding and double-double titles.

Keys to success: Snagging a first-round series win might be as easy as showing up for the Libs — NY has the deeper roster, more playoff experience, and some extra motivation to avenge their 3–1 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in last year’s final.

• When it comes to Hotlanta, despite being the lowest postseason seed, the Dream are peaking at the right time, recording three straight dubs in must-win games. If they can disrupt Stewie and Ionescu…well, stranger things have happened.

The matchup: The hottest team in the WNBA? The Minnesota Lynx, who are heading into their first-round series as winners of 14 of their last 16 games. Minnesota’s different from the W’s other top contenders though: They’re not a superteam nor do they have a lot of postseason experience. So what are they? A team that simply finds a way to win.

• The Mercury will certainly have their work cut out for them in the first round. Still, what the squad lacks in depth, they make up for in experience, with women’s hoops icons Brittney Griner and the aforementioned Taurasi leading the team.

Players to watch: For the Lynx, it’s the three-prong attack of Napheesa Collier, Bridget Carleton, and Kayla McBride. Both Carleton and McBride can shoot the lights out while Collier’s averaging a team-high 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.

• The Mercury will need leading scorer Kahleah Copper at her best to defeat the Lynx. As for the savvy vets, 6’9” Griner is Phoenix’s biggest advantage, but never count out the walking fossil — the 42-year-old Taurasi definitely doesn’t suck.

Keys to success: On paper, the Lynx are a better all-around team: They boast one of the league’s most fearsome defenses thanks to Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith, their offense is built around all five players on the floor, and their coach, Cheryl Reeve, has hoisted four WNBA championships and this year’s Commissioner’s Cup.

• If the Mercury want to give the Lynx a run for their money, it’s the defense that’s going to have to step up. Natasha Cloud is one of their biggest assets on that side of the ball, leading the team in steals, but she can’t defend everyone.

The matchup: The Sun secured the No. 3 seed with their season-finale blowout win over the Chicago Sky, booking themselves a first-round ticket against Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and the suddenly surging Indiana Fever. The Sun are 3-1 against Indiana this season with the Fever taking the most recent meeting by a mere four points.

• Yes, the Sun are and should be the favorites in this first-round matchup. They have ample postseason experience that the upstart Fever just don’t have — no Indiana starter has played in the WNBA playoffs.

Players to watch: Partners-in-hoops (and in life) DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas lead a Sun attack that also boasts Brionna Jones and defensive juggernaut DiJonai Carrington (who’ll be competing against her possible fiancée NaLyssa Smith). Bonner leads all Sun scorers with 15.1 points per game, but the Sun are all about that total team approach.

• As for the Fever, who else but Caitlin Clark. The first-year phenom has demolished record after record, building one of the most impressive rookie résumés the league has ever seen. With Clark, Boston, and Smith, a future dynasty is brewing in the Midwest.

Keys to success: Connecticut’s biggest advantage is their postseason experience. Their core group has gone deep into the playoffs, making at least the semifinals for the last five years — but now it’s time to shake off that bridesmaid reputation for good.

• Meanwhile, the Fever have been rising since the Olympic break, finally finding the space for their offense to thrive. This has especially paid off for Lexie Hull, who’s shooting an impressive 47.1% from the three-point line. Swish, swish.

The matchup: The Aces were bogged down by injuries in the early part of the season, a big reason why the two-time defending champs only managed a No. 4 seed. But Vegas has been on an absolute heater to end the year, winning nine of their last 10 games to start their three-peat quest on a high note.

• After a dismal 2023 campaign, the Storm inked Skylar Diggins-Smith and 2016 league MVP Nneka Ogwumike (pronounced NEH-kah Oh-GWOO-mih-kay) in the offseason. It’s taken time for the team to gel, but with the recent acquisition of Gabby Williams, the Storm have potential written all over them.

Players to watch: To say A’ja Wilson has been remarkable this season would be an understatement: She’s the first WNBA player to reach 1K points in a season, set the WNBA single-season rebounding record, and has the second-best efficiency rating of any basketball player ever. All hail.

• The jewel in the Storm’s crown is six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd, who leads the squad with 19.7 points per game after setting the (now-broken) single-season scoring record in 2023. The Gold Mamba’s missed the last three games with a knee injury though, a worrying development.

Keys to success: Wilson has undoubtedly been that girl for the Aces all season. Vegas has both firepower and experience with the likes of Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray, but they’ll go as far as the league’s likely MVP can carry them.

• The Storm’s biggest weakness is their inconsistency down the stretch — they can’t seem to close games and struggle to generate offense in the biggest moments. If Loyd isn’t fully healthy, it’ll be tough for Seattle to keep up with the Aces’ dynamic playmakers.