NY Liberty make history, advance to semifinals as No. 8 seed

The GIST: We blinked, and the best-of-three WNBA first round is already nearly halfway done. Let’s catch up on the high-stakes hoops.

🗽 No. 8 NY Liberty oust top-seeded Minnesota Lynx: The seafoam superstars made history last night, becoming the first No. 8 seed to win a playoff series after a lopsided 87–71 victory. The Liberty’s championship pedigree shone in the dub with Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones combining for 42 points. It’s safe to say these perennial contenders aren’t an ordinary eight seed.

🥵 No. 6 Indiana Fever even series vs. No. 3 Las Vegas Aces: Game 1 was the most-watched playoff game on ABC in WNBA history, but the sequel made this a series. Despite fouling out, the Fever’s Caitlin Clark padded her résumé in the spicy 99–89 win, heading the three-prong attack of Kelsey Mitchell (26 points) and Aliyah Boston (22 points).

• ➡️ After yet another game went viral for all the wrong reasons in Indiana, this series is shifting back to Vegas for tomorrow’s 9 p.m. ET series decider.

💭 No. 4 Atlanta Dream (up 1-0) vs. 🔮 No. 5 Washington Mystics — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET: This physical affair was close for most of Game 1…until the Mystics’ 22 turnovers caught up with them. And the Dream thrive when forcing mistakes: They swiped a franchise-best 16 steals in the series opener. Taking care of the ball is non-negotiable if the Mystics want to avoid elimination.

💜 No. 2 Golden State Valkyries (up 1-0) vs. 🪽 No. 7 Dallas Wings — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET: The Valks hang their hat on defense, but their offense impressed in Game 1 as they shot a stellar 50% from three as a team. Whether or not Golden State replicates that showing, Dallas will need more balanced scoring. Even Paige Bueckers can’t do it alone.