Playoff Preview | Down To The Final Four

Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter

And then there were four.

Following the second round of the 2017 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Verizon on Sunday, there now are just four teams remaining in postseason play.

We preview the two semifinals matchups prior to tipoff on Tuesday:

No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 6 Washington Mystics

Washington will travel to Minnesota to take on the Lynx at 7 p.m. (CT) Tuesday night at Williams Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

The two teams faced off three times during the regular season, with Minnesota sweeping the season series 3-0.

The Mystics are the last team the Lynx played prior to Tuesday’s game. Minnesota took down Washington 86-72 in the regular season finale on September 3 in St. Paul.

In the three wins over the Mystics this season, the Lynx have won by an average margin of 18.7 points. Minnesota is averaging 92.3 points per game against Washington this season, while the Mystics are averaging 73.7 points per game against the Lynx.

Two Lynx players that have stood out against the Mystics in their three games against each other this season are Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles.

In those three games against Washington, Moore is averaging 21.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, five assists, 2.3 steals and one block per game. Fowles, meanwhile, is averaging 15.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in those three games.

Two players to watch for Washington are Elena Delle Donne and Kristi Toliver, who have both played well so far this postseason, carrying the Mystics into the semifinals.

Game 1 will be aired on ESPN2, 106.1 BOB FM and TuneIn Radio on Tuesday night.

Here’s the full schedule for the Minnesota vs. Washington series:

SEMIFINALS LOCAL   EDT  NAT’L
Minnesota vs. Washington
Tue Sep. 12 Washington at Minnesota1 – Game 1 7 PM 8 PM ESPN2
Thu Sep. 14 Washington at Minnesota – Game 2 7 PM 8 PM ESPN2
Sun Sep. 17 Minnesota at Washington – Game 3 3 PM 3 PM ESPN
Tue Sep. 19 Minnesota at Washington2 – Game 4* TBD TBD ESPN2
Thu Sep. 21 Washington at Minnesota – Game 5* TBD TBD ESPN2

No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks vs. No. 5 Phoenix Mercury 

Phoenix will travel to face No. 2 Los Angeles on Tuesday night to begin the other half of the semifinal round.

Much like the Minnesota vs. Washington season series, the regular season matchups between the Sparks and Mercury were rather one-sided.

Los Angeles holds a 3-0 season series advantage over Phoenix, winning by an average margin of 16 points. In those three games, the Sparks are averaging 87 points a game, while the Mercury are averaging 71 points per game.

Two players to watch for Los Angeles are Candice Parker and Nneka Ogwumike, who have been one of the best one-two punches in the WNBA this season.

Two players to keep an eye on for Phoenix are Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. The duo has carried the Mercury for nearly the entire postseason thus far.

Game 1 between the Sparks and Mercury will begin at 9 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.

SEMIFINALS LOCAL   EDT  NAT’L
Los Angeles vs. Phoenix
Tue Sep. 12 Phoenix at Los Angeles – Game 1 7 PM 10 PM ESPN2
Thu Sep. 14 Phoenix at Los Angeles3 – Game 2 7 PM 10 PM ESPN2
Sun Sep. 17 Los Angeles at Phoenix – Game 3 2 PM 5 PM ESPN
Tue Sep. 19 Los Angeles at Phoenix – Game 4* TBD TBD ESPN2
Thu Sep. 21 Phoenix at Los Angeles – Game 5* TBD TBD ESPN2