After an exciting final night of the regular season, the WNBA playoffs have been announced.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were defeated by the Washington Mystics on Thursday night, but the rookie still put in a record-breaking performance.
The Fever had already advanced to the playoffs, but now know they will face the Connecticut Sun once the standings are finalized.
Atlanta needed a win Thursday night to secure a spot, and the Dream got it by beating New York 78-67. The Liberty had already secured the top spot.
The postseason begins Sunday with four best-of-three games, but the price for the Dream to reach the playoffs is another meeting with New York.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever take on the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA playoffs
Atlanta needed a win to secure a spot and the Dream did that by beating New York
Elsewhere, the No. 2 Minnesota Lynx host the No. 7 Phoenix Mercury.
The final match in the opening round is between the two-time reigning champion Las Vegas Aces, the fourth-seeded team, and the fifth-seeded Seattle Storm.
Las Vegas is attempting to become the first team to win three straight titles since Houston won four in the WNBA’s first four seasons — from 1997 to 2000.
The highest-seeded team will play the first two games of the series, with a possible deciding third game to be played on the field of the lowest-seeded team.
There will be no postseason action for the Chicago Sky as their still excellent rookie Angel Reese is currently injured.
With Thursday’s loss to the Connecticut Sun, Sky ended a five-game losing streak and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2018.
With player shortages and injuries, Sky were left without star players Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, and key veterans Chennedy Carter and Diamond DeShields.