The semifinals of the 2022 WNBA playoffs are now set, and the action will tip-off on Sunday with a pair of Game 1s. First up, the No. 1 overall seed Las Vegas Aces will host the Seattle Storm, followed by the defending champion Chicago Sky against the Connecticut Sun.
These have been the best four teams in the league for much of the season, and each series should be competitive and compelling. Ahead of the games, here's a look at some of the biggest storylines in the semifinals.
Aces vs. Storm features record seven No. 1 picks
There's always going to be plenty of talent on the floor once you reach the semi-final round of the playoffs, but the matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm is taking things to new heights. There are seven former No. 1 overall picks between the two teams, spanning nearly two decades of drafts and including every top pick from 2015-19.
- 2002: Sue Bird, Storm
- 2010: Tina Charles, Storm (drafted by Sun)
- 2015: Jewell Loyd, Storm
- 2016: Breanna Stewart, Storm
- 2017: Kelsey Plum, Aces (drafted when team was still the Stars)
- 2018: A'ja Wilson, Aces
- 2019: Jackie Young, Aces
Considering there have only been 26 No. 1 picks in the history of the league, it should come as little surprise that this mark is a record for any playoff series. All of them are major contributors to their team, as well.
Wilson and Stewart, of course, are MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidates. Plum will almost certainly be on the All-WNBA First Team, Young is a leading contender for Most Improved Player, Loyd finished 10th in the league in scoring, Bird was sixth in the league in assists and Charles was one of just seven players to average at least 14 points and seven rebounds.
Potentially Bird's last series
Speaking of one of those No. 1 overall picks, Sue Bird's impending retirement has been one of the biggest stories in the league all season. That won't change as we enter the semifinals. With each successive series, the abstract idea of Bird walking away becomes more of a reality.
An Aces sweep, the worst-case scenario for the Storm, would mean Bird has just three games remaining in her career. But even if the Storm win the title and need the full five games to complete both the semifinals and Finals, the maximum amount of games left for Bird is 10.
Bird, of course, understands the situation.
"I only have so many games left," Bird said after the Storm eliminated the Mystics. "What today's win did was obviously push us into the semifinals. It also guaranteed us more home games. That was definitely in the back of my mind as I entered today. It wasn't some overwhelming motivator, just kind of a thought I had as I entered."
During the first round she was able to draw out some vintage performances and averaged 14 points and six assists on 52.6 percent shooting. Whether she'll be able to maintain that production against one of the best teams in the league remains to be seen; she may need to if she wants her career to extend beyond this series.
Sky and Sun meet again
The Sky and the Sun have a bit of a rivalry brewing as they get ready to play each other for the third consecutive postseason. In the bubble in 2020, the Sun were victorious in the single-elimination second round. Last season, the Sky knocked the Sun out in four games in a thrilling semifinal series. They also met four times during the regular season, with the Sky winning all four.
But while the Sky have had the upper hand in recent years, winning seven of the last eight matchups between the clubs, it's worth noting the individual games have been more competitive than that record would indicate. The Sky needed overtime to secure two of those wins, and five of them have been by six points or less. In fact, only two of the previous eight games have been decided by double-digits -- one such win for each club.
All of which makes it difficult to predict what will happen in this series. Both teams had to go the distance in their respective first-round matchups but were able to pull away in the fourth quarter for double-digit victories on the road. The Sky are the defending champions and have homecourt advantage, but are only slight favorites (-130 to win the series, per Caesars Sportsbook) despite the Sun's history of underperforming in the playoffs.
History is on the horizon no matter who wins
This is only the semifinal series, but it's not too early to think about who will win the title -- especially considering that history is on the horizon no matter what happens in these matchups.
- Aces: The Aces have been to the Finals twice in franchise history -- 2008, when they were still the Silver Stars, and 2020. They were swept on both occasions, however, and are one of four active franchises without a title. If they take care of the Storm they'll have a chance to end that drought.
- Sky: Last season, the Sky defeated the Mercury to win their first-ever championship. Now, they're on a quest to become just the third team to pull off a repeat and the first since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. Also worth noting is that every repeat happened in the first six seasons of the league's existence when the Finals were still three games. No one has repeated since the league expanded and the Finals moved to best-of-five.
- Sun: Dating back to their debut in 1999 as the Orlando Miracle, the Sun have made the playoffs 15 times. During that time they've made nine semi-final appearances and three Finals appearances, and have won 33 playoff games. They have no titles to their name, however, and have the ignominious record of most playoff wins without a championship. They'll have a chance to end their drought if they can beat the Sky.
- Storm: Unlike the other teams in the semifinals, the Storm are one of the most successful franchises in WNBA history. They are a perfect 4-0 in Finals appearances and are tied with the Minnesota Lynx and now-defunct Houston Comets for the most titles. If they're able to pull the upset on the Aces, they'll be in the Finals for the fifth time and have an opportunity to become the winningest franchise in league history.
