The Las Vegas Aces are moving on to their seventh consecutive semifinal appearance.

The No. 2 seed Aces defeated the No. 7 seed Seattle Storm 74-73 on Thursday in a decisive Game 3, behind a dominant 38-point performance from A’ja Wilson, the newly minted Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Aces’ win sets up a semifinal matchup against the No. 6 seed Indiana Fever beginning Sunday.

‘I am so proud of my team, we were resilient, that’s what we need to be in these playoffs and I love each and every last one of them,’ said Wilson, whose stat line was rounded out by five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. ‘The job’s not done, it’s just first round and we have to get ready for the next one.’

Storm guard Erica Wheeler hit a pull up jumper with 19.3 seconds remaining to give the Storm a 73-72 lead. The Aces responded on the next possession with a go-ahead tip shot from Jackie Young, who cleaned up a miss from Wilson to retake the lead with 12.4 remaining. The Storm had a look at a game-winner, but Wheeler missed a jumper and Gabby Williams couldn’t get another shot off before the buzzer rang and the lights in Michelob Arena went off in celebration.

Wilson, Jackie Young (14 points) and Chelsea Gray (12 points) combined for 64 of the Aces’ 74 points. Wilson’s 38-points tied her playoff career high.

Wheeler and Nneka Ogwumike finished 16 points each for the Storm. Skylar Diggins added 13 points.

Storm vs. Aces highlights

End of Q3: Las Vegas Aces 52, Seattle Storm 48

The Aces have a four-point lead over the Storm heading into the fourth quarter.

A’ja Wilson is carrying the Aces to the finish line with 27 points, five rebounds and two assists. Wilson, Chelsea Gray (10 points) and Jackie Young (nine points) have combined for 46 of the Aces 52 points, while the rest of the team has only scored six points.

Erica Wheeler has a team-high 12 point off the bench, while Skylar Diggins has 10 points and three rebounds. Nneka Ogwumike is up to seven points (1-of-7 FG, 0-of-1 3PT), but is still looking to get going. The Storm is collectively shooting 36.2% from the field and 5-of-12 from the 3-point line.

Halftime: Las Vegas Aces 33, Seattle Storm 26

The Las Vegas Aces have a seven-point advantage heading into halftime following a low-scoring first half.

Aces center A’ja Wilson is the only player to reach double-digits with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists through two quarters. Jackie Young added nine points, while Chelsea Gray has seven. Twenty of the Aces 33 points came in the paint.

The Storm were held to seven points in the second quarter. Erica Wheeler has a team-high seven points off the bench, while Skylar Diggins added five points (1-of-5 FG, 1-of-2 3PT) and two assists. Nneka Ogwumike is still looking for her first field goal, going 0-of-4 from the field and 0-of-1 from the 3-point line.

End of Q1: Seattle Storm 19, Las Vegas Aces 14

The Storm went on an 8-0 run to end the first quarter and lead by five points.

‘We are going to set the tone defensively and try to build on that in the second quarter,’ Storm guard Skylar Diggins said.

Diggins had five points in the quarter including a rainbow 3-pointer. Erica Wheeler added five points off the bench.

A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young have six points each for the Aces, who are trying to recover from their first loss in 17 games on Tuesday.

What time is Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces?

The Las Vegas Aces host the Seattle Storm in the decisive Game 3 on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT) at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

How to watch Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces: TV, stream

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT)
• Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• TV channel: ESPN2
• Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

Starting lineups

Las Vegas Aces starting lineup

Head coach: Becky Hammon

• 0 Jackie Young | G 6′ 0′ – Notre Dame
• 1 Kierstan Bell | F 6′ 1′ – Florida Gulf Coast
• 3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Baylor
• 12 Chelsea Gray | G 5′ 11′ – Duke
• 22 A’ja Wilson | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina

Seattle Storm starting lineup

Head coach: Noelle Quinn

• 3 Nneka Ogwumike | F 6′ 2′ – Stanford
• 4 Skylar Diggins | G 5′ 9′ – Notre Dame
• 5 Gabby Williams | F 5′ 11′ – UConn
• 13 Ezi Magbegor | F 6′ 4′ – Australia
• 20 Brittney Sykes | G 5′ 9′ – Syracuse

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The Miami Dolphins look like a fish out of water.

Attempting to save their season from the dreaded 0-3 start, Miami made the trek to western New York for a battle against the Buffalo Bills. While the final score was closer than expected, 31-21, Buffalo never really had to sweat.

They came close, however, before Zach Sieler’s roughing the kicker penalty changed everything. The turning point in the contest – it awarded the Bills with a new set of downs when the game was tied.

Regardless, this was a performance that likely cooled the hot seats for Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier in Miami – at least momentarily.

Now the Bills move to 3-0 on the season, despite not looking their best in the young season.

A win is a win though and the Bills will certainly enjoy adding another one in that column. Now both teams head off for the mini-bye before returning to action in Week 4.

Here’s how the action unfolded from Buffalo.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights, and more from the Bills-Dolphins ‘Thursday Night Football’ game in Week 3 below.

Bills vs. Dolphins takeaways

• Dolphins’ biggest issue may not be coaching

Everyone loves to blame the coaching staff, but the Dolphins have a roster littered with issues. They lack depth in the trenches and it appears they ignored the defense all offseason. Injuries in the secondary make it almost impossible to win in the modern NFL.

• Bills’ win covers bigger issues under the hood for now

The Bills might be 3-0, but this game wasn’t supposed to be close and it still took a costly penalty to set up the game-winning score. It’s not exactly inspiring after the Jets mostly beat themselves in Week 2 and the Ravens had to blow a 15-point lead with less than five minutes to go. They might still be the favorites, but this defense needs plenty of work if Buffalo wants to be playing in February.

• The Dolphins need more from Tua Tagovailoa to win games

It’s not his fault, but Tagovailoa’s health remains a primary concern whenever he steps on the field. If that weren’t a concern, you would spend the entire game waiting for the back-breaking mistake. Tagovailoa cost his team with an interception late and, to make it even worse, that wasn’t exactly the most surprising outcome.

Bills vs. Dolphins final score: Buffalo 31, Miami 21

Bills-Dolphins score update: Prater seals it

That’ll do it for this one in Buffalo. Tagovailoa’s interception comes back to haunt the Dolphins as Prater knocks through the field goal for a 10-point lead.

Bills 31, Dolphins 21

Tua Tagovailoa tosses interception with three minutes to go

Tagovailoa has been begging to throw an interception with some of these throws tonight. He finally tosses one to the wrong team as Terrel Bernard steps in front to take it away. Miami was on the edge of the red zone, but will now need a stop to get the ball back with three minutes to go.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Buffalo back in front after costly penalty

Miami had Buffalo stopped around midfield, but Zach Sieler was flagged for roughing the kicker, and the Bills got a new set of downs. Khalil Shakir ends up making the Dolphins pay with a 15-yard catch-and-run touchdown a few plays later.

Bills 28, Dolphins 21 

Bills-Dolphins score update: Tyreek Hill TD for the tie

The Dolphins won’t go quietly into the night. Instead, they might just win this thing. Miami converted a fourth down to begin the quarter and finished the drive off with a touchdown pass to Hill, who promptly celebrates with a few flips. We’re all knotted up at 21 apiece and it’s setting up for a fun finish.

Bills 21, Dolphins 21 

End of the third quarter: Bills lead with 15 minutes to go

The third quarter was fairly uneventful, especially after the Bills scored to begin the half. Both defenses have found their game, but Miami has a crucial third down as we get set to begin the fourth.

Teams trading punts in the third quarter

The scoring has slowed down as both teams have failed to gain any traction on offense after the opening drive TD. Miami has the ball back, trailing by seven.

Who is Ryan Fitzpatrick?

Fitzpatrick currently serves as an analyst for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage. A former NFL quarterback, Fitzpatrick was well-traveled throughout his career, making stops with the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and the then-Washington Football Team. In other words, he saw plenty of the NFL landscape during his 17 seasons.

Bills-Dolphins score update: James Cook puts Buffalo ahead

The Bills are back on top thanks to a Cook rushing touchdown to open the second half. However, the story is that this game is getting chippy, with a few skirmishes between both teams. That’ll be something to monitor in the second half.

Bills 21, Dolphins 14

Josh Allen stats at halftime

• Completions/attempts (%): 11/13 (84.6%)
• Passing yards: 97
• Passing TDs: 2
• INTs: 0
• Rating: 137.3
• Rush attempts: 1
• Rushing yards: 0

Tua Tagovailoa stats at halftime

• Completions/attempts (%): 12/18 (66.7%)
• Passing yards: 66
• Passing TDs: 1
• INTs: 0
• Rating: 91.4
• Rush attempts: 2
• Rushing yards: 10

Dalton Kincaid stats at halftime

• Catches (Targets): 3 (4)
• Receiving yards: 41
• Touchdowns: 1

De’Von Achane stats at halftime

• Rush attempts: 6
• Rushing yards: 35
• Catches (Targets): 5 (7)
• Receiving yards: 10
• Touchdowns: 0

Halftime: All tied up at the break

A silence has fallen over Highmark Stadium heading into the intermission. Miami’s drive to end the half has seemingly shocked everyone associated with the home team as the heavy favorites have work to do in the second half. If Miami’s defense can step up, we’re in for a wild finish.

Bills 14, Dolphins 14

Bills-Dolphins score update: Miami ties it with a Jaylen Waddle TD

Somehow, this game is tied. The Bills have dominated the first half, but that missed field goal from Prater gave the Dolphins some life. They marched 71 yards and cap off the 16-play drive with a touchdown from Waddle to even the score.

Bills 14, Dolphins 14

Matt Prater misses field goal attempt from 39

You thought Buffalo was scoring another touchdown, didn’t you? Yeah, color us surprised as well. Following the first negative play of the game, Prater misses a 39-yard field goal wide left. Very wide left. As in, it never stood a chance. 

Dolphins fail to respond again, punt it away

The real Miami Dolphins have joined the program. It’s another three-and-out for McDaniel’s crew and this one had even less action than the last one. The Bills take over at their own 27, looking for a 73-yard touchdown drive to add to the previous two.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Buffalo takes the lead

Aside from one incompletion, the Bills have gained at least one yard on every play. That certainly isn’t a recipe for success for Miami and Buffalo is making it look easy. The rookie, Jackson Hawes, gets in on the action, scoring his first career touchdown to cap off the 63-yard drive.

Bills 14, Dolphins 7

End of first quarter: Buffalo in control despite tied score

The game isn’t over after the first quarter like many expected, but the Bills still haven’t been given a reason to sweat after the first 15 minutes. They are driving for the lead and the Miami defense still hasn’t forced a negative play. It’ll be tough for McDaniel’s team to steal a win if they can’t turn it around soon. 

Bills 7, Dolphins 7

Dolphins can’t respond, forced to punt after three-and-out

Miami looked like a different team on their second drive, unable to get anything going. They pick up just seven yards, including two on the ground from Tagovailoa. Many fans were likely holding their breath as the quarterback dove forward to pick up a couple of yards. After the punt, the Bills take over at their own 36.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Dalton Kincaid scores TD

As expected, the Dolphins defense looked like traffic cones on the Bills’ opening drive. It takes just seven plays for Buffalo to drive 70 yards for the score as Kincaid hauls in the 20-yard touchdown to tie things up.

Bills 7, Dolphins 7

Was Tyreek Hill out of bounds?

The Dolphins might’ve scored on their opening drive, but they did appear to benefit from a missed call on third down. Tua Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill for a first-down reception, but the receiver bobbled the ball. After checking out the replay, it appears Hill only got one foot in bounds. The Bills did not challenge and it ultimately cost them. 

Bills-Dolphins score update: Ollie Gordon II’s first career TD puts Miami on top

Well, how about that. No one gave the Dolphins a chance in this game and the Dolphins get the scoring started with a six-minute drive that goes 47 yards before Gordon plunges into the end zone. Buffalo’s defense looked like what we expected from Miami on that opening drive. Not too shabby for Mike McDaniel and company in the early going.

Dolphins 7, Bills 0

What time does Bills vs. Dolphins start?

• Date: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET  

What TV channel is Bills vs. Dolphins on today?

• Buffalo market: WKBW
• Miami market: WFOR

National viewers will have to stream the matchup on Amazon Prime Video, the home of ‘TNF.’

Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with a Prime Video subscription

Bills vs. Dolphins prediction

This is a prime example of two franchises headed in opposite directions. Buffalo looks like the cream of the crop and is a legitimate Super Bowl contender, while Miami looks like a runaway train. The Dolphins’ offensive line might be bad, but their defense is putrid: The unit allowed 33 points in back-to-back weeks and Buffalo might just double that.

The Bills are running a few impressive streaks: Five straight AFC East titles, 24 games of not losing the turnover battle, and they have won their last eight home matchups vs. Miami. Those streaks will continue tonight.

Buffalo obliterates Miami.

Prediction: Bills 41, Dolphins 13

Bills vs. Dolphins odds, moneyline, over/under

Bills vs. Dolphins injury report

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Bills vs. Dolphins live stream

‘Thursday Night Football’ is only available to National viewers via streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the home of ‘TNF.’

Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with a Prime Video subscription

Josh Allen arrives for ‘Thursday Night Football’ vs. Dolphins

The reigning NFL MVP arrives for the Bills’ Week 3 matchup and is wearing the second of nine custom hats designed by patients at Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital. After each home game, his hat will be auctioned off to support the Patricia Allen Fund.

Dolphins inactives vs. Bills

Bills inactives vs. Dolphins

AFC East standings

1. Buffalo Bills (2-0) 
2. New England Patriots (1-1) 
3. New York Jets (0-2) 
4. Miami Dolphins (0-2) 

Is Jaylen Waddle playing tonight?

Waddle is active for tonight’s game against the Bills. He had been listed as questionable with a shoulder injury he suffered in the Week 1 loss against the Colts.

He’s expected to have a full workload tonight.

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins? 

The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six. 

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups. 

Super Bowl odds

• 1. Buffalo Bills (+500)
• 2. Baltimore Ravens (+550)
• 3. Green Bay Packers (+650)
• 4. Philadelphia Eagles (+700)
• 5. Detroit Lions (+1400)
• 6. Kansas City Chiefs (+1500)
• 7. Los Angeles Chargers (+1600)
• 8. Los Angeles Rams (+1800)
• T9. San Francisco 49ers (+2200)
• T9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2200)

Josh Allen nose injury

The Buffalo Bills’ quarterback added a visor to his helmet ahead of the team’s practice session on Tuesday. The change comes after Allen suffered an injury to his nose in Week 2’s clash with the New York Jets, when defensive tackle Micheal Clemons’ left hand wacked him in the face as Allen took a sack.

The injury caused Allen to miss about a minute and a half of the first quarter – just two plays. He returned to the game for the start of the second quarter with cotton gauze shoved up his left nostril. – Jack McKessy

2025 NFL MVP odds

• T-1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+325)
• T-1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (+325)
• T-3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (+800)
• T-3. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+800)
• 5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (+1400)
• T-6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+1800)
• T-6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+1800)
• 8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2000)
• 9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (+3000)
• 10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (+3500)

Who are the ‘Thursday Night Football’ announcers for Amazon Prime Video? 

Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be in the broadcast booth for Prime Video, with Kaylee Hartung (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) providing additional coverage.  

The Prime Video pregame, halftime and postgame shows feature Charissa Thompson as host, as well as former NFL players Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Andrew Whitworth as analysts.  

Taylor Rooks is the feature reporter for Prime Video’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ coverage.

How old is Al Michaels?

Michaels, who is once again serving as the play-by-play voice of Amazon Prime’s ‘Thursday Night Football,’ is 80 years old. He will turn 81 in November and has worked on network sports television since 1971.

ATLANTA — Caitlin Clark is not eligible to return for the Indiana Fever for the rest of the season, even if she was fully recovered and able to play.

While Clark could have returned at any point in the regular season, each team needs to submit an active roster ahead of the WNBA playoffs. Only players on that submitted active roster are eligible to play in the postseason.

Clark, who is out for the season with a right groin injury, was left off the active roster. The 2024 Rookie of the Year and All-WNBA First Team honoree was limited to 13 games with various injuries, including those to her left quad, left groin, right groin, and left ankle.

The other four Fever players with season-ending injuries — Sydney Colson (left ACL), Aari McDonald (right foot), Sophie Cunningham (right MCL) and Chloe Bibby (right knee) — were also left off the Fever’s playoff active roster.

That left the Fever with 11 players on the active roster, four of which are signed with hardship waivers: Odyssey Sims, Aerial Powers, Shey Peddy and Bree Hall.

Indiana has had 10 available players throughout the playoffs so far, as Damiris Dantas suffered a concussion last week and has missed all three games. Should the Fever advance further in the playoffs, Dantas would be eligible to return as she was listed on the Fever’s playoff active roster.

The Minnesota Lynx are headed back to the semifinals.

The No. 1 seed Lynx clawed their way back from a 17-point deficit to beat the Golden State Valkyries, 75-74, on Wednesday at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.

‘It was (a) tough game, closeout games are always so hard, especially in an environment like this,’ Lynx MVP candidate Napheesa Collier said postgame.

The Lynx will wait for their opponent. The Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday joined the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever in forcing Game 3s by thoroughly dismantling the defending champion New York Liberty, 86-60, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

It was the Mercury’s first playoff win since the 2021 WNBA Finals. It was the largest loss by the Liberty at home in their playoff history and the Mercury’s largest road win when facing playoff elimination.

Game 3 will be Friday in Phoenix at the PHX Center (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Liberty know they have to make changes if they want to advance to the semifinals and continue their title defense.

‘We can’t go out and play the same way we did and expect a different result,’ Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said. ‘We have to go out and make the adjustments and play like our season is on the line, because it is.’

Winners

Phoenix Mercury’s Big 3

The Mercury didn’t panic after their disappointing Game 1 loss to the Liberty. Instead, Phoenix geared up for a battle in New York. ‘The mindset is … go to New York and get it,” Kahleah Copper said on Sunday. That’s exactly what the Mercury did. Phoenix not only staved off elimination, it dominated the defending champs.

The Mercury’s Big 3 of Alyssa Thomas (15 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds), Satou Sabally (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals) and Copper (14 points, 2 rebounds) took charge. The trio of stars set the tone early and got all their teammates involved. The Mercury are 14-0 this season when their Big 3 scores 10 or more points each. There may have been questions about Phoenix’s future after the end of the Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner era, but the new lineup has the Mercury one win away from their first semifinal appearance since 2021.

Phoenix Mercury unicorn Satou Sabally

Mercury forward Satou Sabally turned in her worst shooting performance of the season in a Game 1 loss to the Liberty on Sunday, going 2-of-17 from the field and 1-of-10 from 3 at home. Sabally said she watched the film and took good shot attempts, despite the end result. “I’m a great player and I know that. That game was not who I am,” she said. Sabally came out aggressive and shot 5-for-11 and 2-for-4 from 3 on Wednesday, finishing with 15 points in the win. ‘We’re not done yet,” Sabally declared after the victory.

Resilient Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx are the first and only team to advance to the semifinals in two games after every other first-round playoff series went to Game 3. It wasn’t an easy feat as the Lynx found themselves down 17 points in a rowdy road environment. Minnesota could have easily thrown in the towel and looked forward to Game 3 at home, but the Lynx leaned into their experience in the comeback win. ‘I asked them not to quit,’ Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said. The Lynx now have three days rest before their semifinal series against the Mercury or Liberty, which begins on Sunday.

Golden State Valkyries’ first season

After the Valkyries suffered a one-point loss to the Lynx on Wednesday, and Golden State’s Cinderella season came to an end, the sold-out crowd at SAP Center in San Jose stood on their feet and emphatically chanted ‘GSV.’ It was a stunning display of support and highlights the expansion team’s wildly successful inaugural season, despite a quick playoff exit. WNBA Coach of the Year Natalie Nakase led the Valkyries to a playoff bid, becoming the first expansion team to make the postseason in its inaugural season. The Valkyries took the No. 1 seed down to the wire in Game 2 and were one jump shot away from notching their first playoff win.

Golden State also sold out each of their 22 regular-season games at Chase Center and set an all-time WNBA attendance record, welcoming 397,408 total fans and an average attendance of 18,064 this season. This is just the beginning for the Valkyries.

0-1 teams

Three of the four teams facing elimination in the first round of the WNBA playoffs forced a decisive Game 3. The Indiana Fever kicked things off with a 77-60 dismantling of the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, followed by the Seattle Storm snapping the Las Vegas Aces’ 17-game win streak in an 86-83 comeback win. The Phoenix Mercury continued the trend on Wednesday with an 86-60 rout of the defending champion Liberty. The Golden State Valkyries nearly forced a Game 3 against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, but ultimately suffered a one-point loss. 

Heading into the 2025 WNBA postseason, there were three total first-round Game 3s in over four years of this format. Now, WNBA fans will be treated to three Game 3s across Thursday and Friday alone.

Losers

Everything about the New York Liberty

The defending champion New York Liberty looked … well, beatable. The Liberty were held to 60 points, their second lowest total of the season, in Wednesday’s loss. After making 10 field goals in the first quarter, the Liberty had nine the rest of the game. New York shot a season-low 30.2% from the field, 23.1% from the 3-point line and 16-of-25 from the free throw line. 

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello had seen enough by the fourth quarter and pulled a majority of her starters, essentially waving the white flag. None of New York’s starters scored in double-digits. The Liberty squandered their chance to close out the Mercury on their home court. New York not only has to travel cross-country to Phoenix (again), it has given its opponent lots of confidence heading into Game 3. To make matters worse, the Minnesota Lynx closed out the Valkyries and will be rested for the winner of this series.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu

Ionescu was not a factor in Game 2. She was 3-of-13 from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line. To add insult to injury, Ionescu was 2-of-6 from the free throw line. Entering Wednesday, Ionescu had not missed more than two free throws in a single game in her career. Ionescu is shooting 93.3% from the free throw line this season and 91.3% in her entire career.

‘We can’t go out and play the same way we did and expect a different result,’ Ionescu said. ‘We have to go out and make the adjustments and play like our season is on the line, because it is.’

Barclays Center

The Barclays Center caught several strays in the Mercury’s postgame on Wednesday. Following the Mercury’s win over the Liberty, Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally both mentioned how quiet it was in the Liberty’s arena. “I didn’t think it was loud to start. I was shocked. I was expecting us to have to deal with the crowd and courtside people, but it was quiet,” Copper said. Sabally added that PHX Arena will be “louder than” New York as the series shifts back to Phoenix for a decisive Game 3. To be fair, the Liberty didn’t give their fans much to cheer for, but it remains to be seen if these comments will serve as bulletin board material. Sorry, Spike Lee.

Breanna Stewart’s knee

Breanna Stewart opted to play through an MCL sprain her left knee, but the New York Liberty forward looked like a shell of herself. She was held to six points in 20 minutes, shooting 2-of-6 from the field and 0-of-1 from the 3-point line. It’s an unfortunate development for Stewart, who previously missed 13 regular season games with a bone bruise in her right knee. There’s questions surrounding Stewart’s health and the Liberty’s ability to challenge the Mercury without her at full strength.

1-0 teams

Aside from the Minnesota Lynx, three teams failed the close out their opponent in the first-round.

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The Phoenix Mercury needed a win on the road to keep their playoff lives alive. The Mercury not only got the victory, they completely dismantled the defending champion New York Liberty in the process. 

The No. 4 seed Mercury routed the No. 5 seed Liberty 86-60 in Game 2 on Wednesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, marking the Mercury’s first playoff win since the 2021 WNBA Finals. The best-of-three first-round WNBA playoff series now shifts back to Phoenix for a decisive Game 3 on Friday (TBD, ESPN2).

‘It’s a series for the reason,’ Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said. ‘We were disappointed in the way that we shot in the first game. We knew today was going to be a different day. We were just going to come out there for 40 mintues and give them everything we had.’

Five Mercury players scored double-digits in the win, led by Phoenix’s Big 3 — Thomas (15 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), Satou Sabally (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals) and Kahleah Copper (14 points). DeWanna Bonner (14) and Kathryn Westbeld (10) combined for 24 of Phoenix’s 27 bench points.

The Mercury’s defense held the Liberty to 60 points, their second lowest total of the season, and made the defending champions look hapless on Wednesday. New York shot a season-low 30.2% from the field and 23.1 % from the 3-point line. None of New York’s starters scored double digit points.

There were questions surrounding Liberty forward Breanna Stewart entering Wednesday’s matchup after she suffered a MCL sprain in her left knee in Game 1. She was limited to six points in 20 minutes.

The Mercury outscored the Liberty in the paint (38-22) and in transition (20-2). The Liberty also gave up 15 turnovers for 30 Mercury points. Here’s a recap for Game 2 on Wednesday:

End of Q3: Mercury 69, Liberty 47

The Mercury’s lead swelled to as many as 24 in the third quarter and Phoenix is taking a 22-point advantage over the Liberty into the fourth quarter. New York shot 2-of-10 from the field in the third quarter, with the first field goal coming with 1:35 remaining in the quarter, in addition to 0-of-3 from 3.

Liberty forward Breanna Stewart is playing with a sprained MCL in her left knee. She’s been held to six points, two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes of play. Emma Meesseman is the only Liberty player to reach double-digits with 11 points off the bench.

Alyssa Thomas (15 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists), Satou Sabally (12 points, 4 assists, 4 steals) and Kahleah Copper (14 points, 2 rebounds) lead the Phoenix Mercury in scoring.

Halftime: Mercury 51, Liberty 37

The Phoenix Mercury dominated the second quarter, outscoring the defending champion Liberty 26-12 in the frame to take a 14-point lead into halftime. 

Phoenix’s big three — Alyssa Thomas (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Satou Sabally (12 points, 3 assists, 3 steals) and Kahleah Copper (12 points) — all have double-digit points in the first half. Phoenix’s bench added 12.

The Mercury’s defense has been smothering, holding the Liberty to 37.1% shooting from the field and 5-of-15 from the 3-point line. Phoenix is outscoring New York in the paint (24-12) and in transition (14-2). 

No Liberty player has reached double-digits yet. Sabrina Ionescu has a team-high nine points, four rebounds and two assists. 

What time is Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty?

The New York Liberty host the Phoenix Mercury for Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

How to watch Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty: TV, stream

• Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
• Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

Mercury forward Satou Sabally called for technical

Emotions are running high in Barclays Center as the Mercury fight for their season on Wednesday and tempers appeared to boil over, resulting in a technical foul for Mercury forward Satou Sabally. The technical foul was called with 1:53 remaining in the second quarter after Sabally and Liberty guard Natasha Cloud fought for possession of a loose ball. Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts called a timeout, but Sabally didn’t appear to be happy with Cloud’s level off physicality.

Phoenix Mercury goes on 15-0 run to take largest lead

The Phoenix Mercury went on a 15-0 run in the second quarter to take a 19-point lead over the New York Liberty, marking the largest of the game by either team. Phoenix is outscoring New York 24-5 in the second quarter with 2:48 remaining. Mercury forward Satou Sabally and guard Kahleah Copper are each up to 12 points.

End of Q1: Liberty 25, Mercury 25

We are all tied up after one quarter. The Liberty led by as many as six points, but the Mercury surged back to take the lead before the quarter ended with both teams at 25. 

“We came out like we don’t want our season to end,” said Kahleah Copper, who had a team-high six points in the first quarter. 

Seven different players scored for the Mercury, highlighting Phoenix’s league-leading depth. Alyssa Thomas added five points, three rebounds and two assists, while Kathryn Westbeld had five points off the bench. However, the Mercury’s struggles from beyond the arc continued. After going 6-of-26 from the 3-point line in Game 1, the Mercury have started 2-of-6 from 3. 

Liberty center Jonquel Jones has seven points, while Emma Meesseman added seven points and two rebounds in five minutes off the bench. However, New York has left some points on the board at the free throw line (2-of-7).

New York Liberty off to a fast start

Game 2 is underway and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones can’t miss, scoring eight of the Liberty’s 14 first-quarter points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 1-of-1 from the 3-point line. She’s also getting it done on the defensive end with two blocks. 

WNBA starting lineups today

Here are the starting lineups for Wednesday’s Game 2:

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

• 0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
• 2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
• 4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
• 8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon
• 25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland

New York Liberty starting lineup

Head coach: Sandy Brondello

• 9 Natasha Cloud | G 5′ 10′ – St. Joseph’s
• 13 Leonie Fiebich | F 6′ 4′ – Germany
• 20 Sabrina Ionescu | G 5′ 11′ – Oregon
• 30 Breanna Stewart | F 6′ 4′ – UConn
• 35 Jonquel Jones | C 6′ 6′ – George Washington

Is Breanna Stewart playing? New York Liberty forward injury update

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart told reporters during Wednesday’s shootaround that she was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in her left knee. She said she plans to play in Game 2, even though she is listed as questionable. — Elizabeth Flores

Phoenix Mercury injury report

The Phoenix Mercury have all players available for Game 2 on Wednesday.

Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty predictions

Who will win Game 2 in Brooklyn, New York? We asked the USA TODAY staff:

• Heather Burns: Liberty 83, Mercury 80
• Cydney Henderson: Mercury 89, Liberty 82

X factor: New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud 

Natasha Cloud called Phoenix home last year, and now she’s facing against her former team as a member of the New York Liberty. Cloud turned in a game-high 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in the Liberty’s 76-69 overtime win over the Mercury on Sunday. Cloud shot 9-of-12 from the field and 3-of-6 from the 3-point line and her nine field goals were the most she’s recorded for the Liberty this season.

New York Liberty arrive to Game 2 in style

The Liberty made a fashion statement heading into Game 2. Liberty forward Breanna Stewart rocked a briefcase because she means business, while Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison let every one know that the ‘WNBA been popping.’ Check out all the Liberty arrivals:

Spike Lee is in the house to cheer on Liberty

Game 2 between the Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty is sure to draw a star-studded crowd. New York superfan Spike Lee, who turned out to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center 90 minutes before tipoff. The Academy Award-winning director is a mainstay at New York sporting events and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s SuperFan Gallery in October 2024.

Emma Meesseman: New York Liberty forward stats

The addition of Emma Meesseman has yielded instant dividends for the New York Liberty, as she averaged 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 games (12 starts) in New York. Meesseman has championship experience — she won an WNBA title with the Washington Mystics in 2019 and was named WNBA Finals MVP.

Phoenix Mercury guard Satou Sabally stats

Sabally is looking to bounce back from a particularly rough shooting night in Game 1. She recorded nine points in the Mercury’s loss to the Liberty on Sunday, shooting 2-of-17 from the field and 1-of-10 from the 3-point line. Sabally averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 39 games (all starts), shooting 40.5% from the field and 32.1%.

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas stats

Thomas averaged 15.4 points, a league-leading 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 39 games (all starts) this season. The 33-year-old recorded eight triple-doubles this season, a WNBA single-season record. Thomas, who was traded to the Mercury in February following 11 seasons in Connecticut, nearly reached a triple-double in Phoenix’s Game 1 loss, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Phoenix Mercury guard Sabrina Ionescu stats

Ionescu averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 38 games (all starts) this season, shooting 40.1% from the field and a career-low 29.9% from the 3-point line. Ionescu had 16 points, seven assists and two blocks in Game 1, shooting 6-of-18 from the field and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty schedule

• Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69 OT
• Game 2: Mercury at Liberty, 8 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPN)
• Game 3: Liberty at Mercury, TBD Friday (ESPN2)

2025 WNBA Finals schedule

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