WNBA 2021 playoffs: Breaking down the seedings, matchups

After a wild final Sunday of the regular season, the WNBA playoffs are officially set.

The New York Liberty are the last team in, courtesy of the Dallas Wings defeating the Los Angeles Sparks. The Wings secured the seventh seed with their win, the Chicago Sky finished in sixth and the Phoenix Mercury held onto the fifth seed. The Minnesota Lynx overtook the Seattle Storm over the weekend, leaving the Storm with the fourth seed, the Lynx with the third and the Aces second.

At the top of the standings, the Connecticut Sun are riding their 14-game win streak into the playoffs with the No. 1 overall seed and a double-round bye along with Las Vegas.

THE PLAYOFFS ARE SET:

1. Connecticut Sun
2. Las Vegas Aces
3. Minnesota Lynx
4. Seattle Storm
5. Phoenix Mercury
6. Chicago Sky
7. Dallas Wings
8. New York Liberty

GET READY🍿 pic.twitter.com/C2ffaD6h8H

— WSLAM (@wslam) September 19, 2021

The first round, one of two single-elimination series, will tip off this Thursday on ESPN2.

• No. 7 Dallas Wings at No. 6 Chicago Sky, 8 p.m. 
• No. 8 New York Liberty at No. 5 Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m. 

Meanwhile, Minnesota and Seattle await their opponents in the second round, taking place Sunday with time and network to be announced at a later date. The Lynx, as the No. 3 seed, will play the lower remaining seed.

• No. 3 Minnesota Lynx vs. TBD
• No. 4 Seattle Storm vs. TBD

The Sun and Aces await the final two teams to survive the knockout rounds in the semifinals. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-five series will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Game 1, Tuesday, Sept. 28

• No. 1 Connecticut Sun vs. TBD, 8 p.m. 
• No. 2 Las Vegas Aces vs. TBD, 10 p.m. 

Game 2, Thursday, Sept. 30

• No. 1 Connecticut Sun vs. TBD, 8 p.m. 
• No. 2 Las Vegas Aces vs. TBD, 10 p.m. 

Game 3, Sunday Oct. 3

• No. 1 Connecticut Sun at TBD, TBD
• No. 2 Las Vegas Aces at TBD, TBD

Game 4*, Wednesday, Oct. 6

• No. 1 Connecticut Sun at TBD, TBD
• No. 2 Las Vegas Aces at TBD, TBD

Game 5*, Friday, Oct. 8

• No. 1 Connecticut Sun at TBD, TBD
• No. 2 Las Vegas Aces at TBD, TBD

The WNBA Finals will take place the week of Oct. 10, with the first game broadcast on ABC at 3 p.m. ET. 

• Game 1, Sunday, Oct. 10 @ 3 p.m. on ABC
• Game 2, Wednesday, Oct. 13 @ 9 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 3, Friday, Oct. 15 @ 9 p.m. on ESPN2
• Game 4*, Sunday, Oct. 17 @ 3 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 5*, Tuesday, Oct. 19 @ 9 p.m. on ESPN2

*Games 4 and 5, if needed

**All game times ET