Two more teams have punched their tickets to the WNBA Playoffs semifinals.
The Indiana Fever downed the Atlanta Dream to advance past the first round, while the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm to move on.
Here’s a recap of Thursday’s action as well as an updated look at the playoff picture.
Indiana Fever def. Atlanta Dream, 87-85
Las Vegas Aces def. Seattle Storm, 74-73
No. 3 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever (Fever wins series 2-1)
No. 4 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 5 New York Liberty (Series tied 1-1)
No. 2 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 7 Seattle Storm (Series tied 1-1)
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 Golden State Valkyries (Minnesota wins series 2-0)
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. TBD
No. 6 Indiana Fever vs. No. 2 Las Vegas Aces
Indiana Fever 87, Atlanta Dream 85
Indiana has won its first playoff series since 2015 after clinching Game 3 on Thursday.
The Dream came into the series as the favorite against the Caitlin Clark-less Fever, but Indiana wasn’t ready to be counted out. The Dream took Game 1, and the Fever bounced back with a 77-60 win in Game 2. Thursday’s game came down to the final seconds.
The Fever trailed for all of the fourth, but cut the lead down to just two points halfway through the final quarter. From there, they made it a one-point game in the final minute thanks to a layup from Lexie Hull. Indiana then got the stop it needed, and Aliyah Boston gave it the lead at the other end.
After the huge basket from Boston, Hull came through on defense, stealing the inbound pass as Atlanta tried to retake the lead. Odyssey Sims then went 1-of-2 at the line to give Indiana a two-point lead, and the Dream’s game-winning shot missed.
While Hull and Boston made the clutch plays at the end, Kelsey Mitchell led the way for most of the game, posting 24 points. Boston finished with 14 points, 12 boards and six assists.
With the win, Indiana joins the Minnesota Lynx as the only two teams to have already punched a ticket to the semifinal. The Feverwill face the winner of the series between the Aces and Storm.
Las Vegas Aces 74, Seattle Storm 73
After a nail-biter between the Fever and Dream, the Aces and Storm gave fans another exciting elimination game.
Though Las Vegas was in control for most of the game, Seattle never let the lead get out of hand, keeping it within five points or fewer heading into the final minutes.
The Storm’s Erica Wheeler eventually tied things up at 66 apiece at the 2:20 mark, but the Aces quickly regained the lead on the following possession. After some more back and forth, veteran Skylar Diggins hit a clutch three to give Seattle the lead heading into the final minute.
But the Aces once again answered back on a layup from A’ja Wilson to retake the lead. Las Vegas came up with the stop at the other end, but couldn’t score, giving the ball back to Seattle.
The Storm capitalized as Wheeler hit the go-ahead jumper to make it 73-72 with just 18 seconds to play.
Wilson then missed a jump shot, but Jackie Young got the tip-in to give the Aces the lead with 12 seconds to play. Young’s shot proved to be the game-winner as Seattle came up empty on the other end.
While Young walked away as the hero, Wilson was the MVP of the night with her 38-point performance.
With the win, the Aces are now on their way to the semifinals for a sixth consecutive season. They’ll face the Fever with a shot at the WNBA Finals on the line.
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