The logo for the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google. (📸: Tamir Moore/Google Photos)
Thursday, September 19, 2024
- 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google begins on Sunday, September 22, with a four-game lineup across the ESPN family of networks (three games on ESPN, and one game on ABC).
- All first-round WNBA playoff series are best-of-three series (meaning that a team that wins two games in this mini-series will advance to the next round).
- Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Lloyd, A'ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi and more to be featured during first round action.
The 28th WNBA season continues this weekend, Sunday, September 22, with the advent of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google. The regular season wrapped up on Thursday, and now the top eight teams from across the WNBA (regardless of conference) will compete for the championship of the league 🏆. In addition to this, ESPN is proud to exclusively present each and every game of this year's WNBA Playoffs.
In this year's postseason tournament, we will have the two teams that battled each other in last year's WNBA Finals, the defending two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, who are the No. 1 seed in this year's playoffs. Plus, the rookie sensation Caitlin Clark makes her WNBA Playoffs debut for the Indiana Fever.
The commentator roster for the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google on ESPN/ABC is set to be led by the outstanding lead commentary crew of play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco, analyst and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo, and reporter and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Holly Rowe. In the studio, host Elle Duncan holds down the fort alongside analysts Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck, LaChina Robinson and Chiney Ogwumike. Furthermore, more top-tier talent will be showcased throughout the playoffs, when needed.
On Sunday, September 22, the second season of the WNBA begins in earnest with the arrival of the postseason. Sunday will have a quadrupleheader of postseason action. So, four times the WNBA basketball playoff action! The 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google starts off at 1:00 PM (ET) on ESPN when Rhyne Howard and the #8 seed Atlanta Dream visit Breanna Stewart and the #1 seed New York Liberty. The Dream made the postseason by winning their regular season finale against the Liberty (ironically enough). The Liberty, holders of the best record in the WNBA this season, begin their quest to return to the WNBA Finals. Pam Ward handles play-by-play duties with analyst Monica McNutt and reporter Arielle Chambers.
Once Game 1 of the Dream-Liberty series concludes, flip over to ABC at 3:00 PM (ET) as single season assist record holder Caitlin Clark and the #6 seed Indiana Fever travel to Connecticut for a matchup against Alyssa Thomas the #3 seed Connecticut Sun. In an obvious case of irony, Clark made her WNBA debut against this same Connecticut Sun team that Clark will now face as a postseason opponent. The lead WNBA crew of Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (reporter) will have the call.
ESPN will take over the airwaves with additional WNBA postseason action at 5:00 PM (ET) as three-time WNBA champion Diana Taurasi, one of the best women's basketball players to ever do it, leads her #7 seed Phoenix Mercury against Naphessa Collier and the #2 seed Minnesota Lynx. Taurasi looks to add to her already stacked future Hall of Famer résumé. Play-by-play commentator Michael Grady narrates the action with analyst Debbie Antonelli and reporter Brooke Weisbrod. As a side note, Grady also serves as the current television play-by-play voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team.
To cap off the first day of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google, ESPN will present Game 1 of the series between Seattle Storm (#5 seed) and the defending two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces (#4 seed) at 10:00 PM (ET). Jewell Loyd and the Storm look to throw a monkey wrench into the plans of A'ja Wilson and her Aces team, as Las Vegas looks to win their third straight WNBA championship. Angel Gray, LaChina Robinson and Taylor Tannebaum broadcast the game nationally on ESPN.
To complement ESPN's WNBA Playoffs game coverage, ESPN will also offer regular editions of WNBA Countdown presented by Google, their official pregame show of record. Hosted by Elle Duncan, the first playoff version of WNBA Countdown presented by Google will air on Sunday, September 22 at 2:30 PM (ET) on ABC, prior to Game 1 of the Fever-Sun series. The show returns for a second airing that Sunday, this time at 4:30 PM (ET) on ESPN, to preview Game 1 of the Mercury-Lynx series.
Here are the 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google First Round series-by-series breakdowns, announcer assignments, television schedule, and more! (Subject to Change)
- 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google: First Round (Quarterfinals) Series-by-Series Breakdown (Subject to Change)
| (8) Atlanta Dream vs. (1) New York Liberty -- New York wins series, 2-0 (Series begins on Sunday, September 22)
- vs -
. Game 1 - Sunday, September 22 - Dream at Liberty - ESPN, 1:00 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Arielle Chambers
. Game 2 - Tuesday, September 24 - Dream at Liberty - ESPN, 7:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 3 (if nec.) - Thursday, September 26 - Liberty at Dream - ESPN2, TBD - TBD
| (5) Seattle Storm vs. (4) Las Vegas Aces -- Las Vegas wins series, 2-0 (Series begins on Sunday, September 22)
- vs -
. Game 1 - Sunday, September 22 - Storm at Aces - ESPN, 10:00 PM (ET) - Angel Gray, LaChina Robinson, Taylor Tannebaum
. Game 2 - Tuesday, September 24 - Storm at Aces - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray
. Game 3 (if nec.) - Thursday, September 26 - Aces at Storm - ESPN2, TBD - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray
| (7) Phoenix Mercury vs. (2) Minnesota Lynx -- Minnesota wins series, 2-0 (Series begins on Sunday, September 22)
- vs -
. Game 1 - Sunday, September 22 - Mercury at Lynx - ESPN, 5:00 PM (ET) - Michael Grady, Debbie Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod
. Game 2 - Wednesday, September 25 - Mercury at Lynx - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Michael Grady, Debbie Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod
. Game 3 (if nec.) - Friday, September 27 - Lynx at Mercury - ESPN2, TBD - Michael Grady, Debbie Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod
| (6) Indiana Fever vs. (3) Connecticut Sun -- Connecticut wins series, 2-0 (Series begins on Sunday, September 22)
- vs -
. Game 1 - Sunday, September 22 - Fever at Sun - ABC, 3:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 2 - Wednesday, September 25 - Fever at Sun - ESPN, 7:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 3 (if nec.) - Friday, September 27 - Sun at Fever - ESPN2, TBD - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo
- 2024 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google: First Round (Quarterfinals) Daily Television Schedule (Subject to Change)
* Sunday, September 22
. Game 1 - Dream at Liberty - ESPN, 1:00 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Arielle Chambers
. Game 1 - Fever at Sun - ABC, 3:00 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 1 - Mercury at Lynx - ESPN, 5:00 PM (ET) - Michael Grady, Debbie Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod
. Game 1 - Storm at Aces - ESPN, 10:00 PM (ET) - Angel Gray, LaChina Robinson, Taylor Tannebaum
* Tuesday, September 24
. Game 2 - Dream at Liberty - ESPN, 7:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 2 - Storm at Aces - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Pam Ward, Monica McNutt, Angel Gray
* Wednesday, September 25
. Game 2 - Fever at Sun - ESPN, 7:30 PM (ET) - Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
. Game 2 - Mercury at Lynx - ESPN, 9:30 PM (ET) - Michael Grady, Debbie Antonelli, Brooke Weisbrod
Mandatory credit to Chris Creamer (SportsLogos.Net) for the use of the WNBA team logos in this postseason WNBA press release.
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