The WNBA revamped its playoff format for the 2022 season, eliminating byes for a relatively standard setup of quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals to determine the 2022 WNBA champion.
All eight playoff teams are involved in the first round of the 2022 postseason, which includes four best-of-three series, with the higher seed hosting the first two games and a potentially decisive game three being played at the home of the lower seed. This is the first time the WNBA has used the 2-1 format, after using 1-2 back in the 2000s and 1-1-1 when the playoffs were still separated by conferences.
We’ve created this coverage hub to keep track of everything related to the quarterfinal round: previews, recaps, analyses, and more.
Here is a schedule for the first round of WNBA playoff action.
No. 1 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Phoenix Mercury
Game 1: Phoenix at Las Vegas, Wednesday, Aug. 17 (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Phoenix at Las Vegas, Saturday, Aug. 20 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Game 3 (if necessary): Las Vegas at Phoenix, Tuesday, Aug. 23 (TBD)
No. 2 Chicago Sky vs. No. 7 New York Liberty
Game 1: New York at Chicago, Wednesday, Aug. 17 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Game 2: New York at Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 20 (Noon ET, ESPN)
Game 3 (if necessary): Chicago at New York, Tuesday, Aug. 23 (TBD)
No. 3 Connecticut Sun vs. No. 6 Dallas Wings
Game 1: Dallas at Connecticut, Thursday, Aug. 18 (8 p.m. ET, ESPNU/NBA TV)
Game 2: Dallas at Connecticut, Sunday, Aug. 21 (noon ET, ABC)
Game 3 (if necessary): Connecticut at Dallas, Wednesday, Aug. 24 (TBD)
No. 4 Seattle Storm vs. No. 5 Washington Mystics
Game 1: Washington at Seattle, Thursday, Aug. 18 (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Game 2: Washington at Seattle, Sunday, Aug. 21 (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 3 (if necessary): Seattle at Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 24 (TBD)
