WNBA playoff schedule: Mercury take 2-1 lead over Lynx, Aces up 2-1 over Fever

Mercury pull away to take a 2-1 series lead over the Lynx (1:11)

Satou Sabally’s 23 points lead the Mercury past the Lynx in a 84-76 win. (1:11)

ESPN

Sep 27, 2025, 02:23 pm and

The Phoenix Mercury have put the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on the brink of elimination.

The Mercury held court in Game 3 on Friday, though the game’s final 22 seconds included an injury to Lynx star Napheesa Collier and an ejection for Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve.

The Las Vegas Acesmeanwhile, are one win away of returning to the WNBA Finals after beating the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in their semifinal series.

The WNBA semifinals is a best-of-five with a 2-2-1 setup. The higher seed will host Games 1, 2 and 5.

For the first time, the WNBA Finals — which are scheduled to begin Oct. 3 — will expand to a best-of-seven series (2-2-1-1-1) in which the higher seed would host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.

We’ll update each series as games are played and each round as matchups are decided.

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SEMIFINALS

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1:21

Reeve ejected, Collier limps off on Mercury’s game-sealing sequence

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (4) Phoenix Mercury

Game 1: Lynx 82, Mercury 69
Game 2: Mercury 89, Phoenix 83
Game 3: Mercury 84, Lynx 76
Game 4: Lynx at Mercury, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 5*: Mercury at Lynx, Sept. 30, TBD (TBD)

* If necessary

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1:56

Cheryl Reeve rips officiating after Lynx’s Game 3 loss

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve sounds off on the referees after the Lynx’s Game 3 loss to the Mercury.

(2) Las Vegas Aces vs. (6) Indiana Fever

Game 1: Fever 89, Aces 73
Game 2: Aces 90, Fever 68
Game 3: Aces 84, Fever 72
Game 4: Aces at Fever, Sept. 28, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5*: Fever at Aces, Sept. 30, TBD (TBD)

* If necessary