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WNBA semifinals: Can Sun solve Sky in 2021 rematch?

DeWanna Bonner and the Sun have not beaten the Sky yet this season. (Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Connecticut Sun have advanced to the WNBA semifinals four seasons in a row – and made the finals in 2019 – but have yet to put it all together.

Over that stretch, their roster has stayed largely the same. Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, Natisha Hiedeman and Brionna Jones have been on the team every year. DeWanna Bonner was added in 2020, and Courtney Williams returned this season after departing in a 2020 trade to Atlanta.

Last season represented perhaps the biggest blow to the Sun’s title aspirations. They earned a No. 1 seed but were upset by the No. 5 Sky, who went on to win the championship. Now, the tables are turned, and No. 3 seed Connecticut has a shot at upsetting No. 2 seed Chicago to earn a place in the finals.

“We are back where we want to be,” Sun coach Curt Miller said of the upcoming series. “I’m proud that we are going to our fourth-straight semifinal. We’ve had incredible success in the regular-season, but this group wants to take another step. And there is not one person that is going to pick us to beat Chicago.”

Miller, who said his team is going to harness an underdog mentality, is right in thinking Chicago is going to be a heavy favorite.

The Sky not only topped the Sun in the previous playoffs, but they also went 4-0 against Connecticut this season. Still, the games have been close, with Chicago winning by an average of 4.5 points each time.

Here’s a look back at those contests:

June 12: Sky 83, Sun 79

In the offseason, James Wade, who was named the WNBA’s Executive of the Year, signed Emma Meesseman and Rebekah Gardner. They both proved fruitful additions in Chicago’s first game against the Sun this season. Meesseman had 26 points on an efficient 11-for-14 shooting, with five rebounds and four assists. Gardner came off the bench to contribute 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 17 minutes of play.

For the Sun, Bonner led the starters with 18 points, and Brionna Jones tallied 20 points off the bench on her way to a season in which she quickly became a favorite for Sixth Player of the Year.

Statistically, the teams were relatively even – Connecticut even held a rebounding advantage – but the difference came at the free-throw line. The Sun went 5-for-9, while Chicago finished 15-for-17.

June 29: Sky 91, Sun 83

The Sun don’t shoot many 3-pointers – they rank 11th in the league – but they are generally efficient in those attempts. Their 35.4% shooting from beyond the arc ranks third in the WNBA.

In this game, though, that wasn’t the case, as they went 6-for-19 (31.6%) from the 3-point line. Chicago went 10-for-20 from long range, shooting 50%.

This game was the most lopsided of the four regular-season wins for Chicago, yet the Sky played sloppily, turning the ball over 24 times.

July 31: Sky 95, Sun 92 (OT)

The Sky managed to secure a victory even without Candace Parker, who was out with an illness, thanks to a balanced effort.

Kahleah Copper led with 27 points and Courtney Vandersloot had a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. Allie Quigley finished with 13 points, and Azurá Stevens and Meesseman added 12 and 10, respectively.

The Sun once again struggled from long range, shooting just 26.7% and making just four 3-pointers. But they also outrebounded Chicago 41-32, and held a small turnover advantage, though neither team took care of the ball. The Sky coughed it up 20 times compared to Connecticut’s 17.

Aug. 7: Sky 94, Sun 91

Once again the Sun had more rebounds (34-26) and fewer turnovers (16-13), but once again, the Sky secured the victory – and with it, a franchise-record 25 wins.

Both teams had balanced scoring efforts, with Bonner’s 18 points leading the Sun and Vandersloot’s 20 propelling the Sky. Jonquel Jones recorded a double-double for Connecticut with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Parker did the same for Chicago. She finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The Sky also shot the ball better than the Sun, making 57% of their attempts to Connecticut’s 46%.

Prediction: Chicago in 4

Those four games may have been close, but the outcomes are telling. Chicago managed to win in a variety of ways, and even once without Parker. Connecticut consistently outrebounded the Sky and forced more turnovers than they committed, but Chicago still secured victories every time. That tells us that Chicago is simply the better team.

The best-of-five WNBA semifinal series between the Sky and the Sun tips off at 8 p.m. ET Sunday.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

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