2023 WNBA Playoffs guide: How to watch, game schedule, more
The 2023 WNBA Playoffs tip off tonight, and every game will be televised on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces will take the court on Wednesday night to open the best-of-three first-round series for their respective Game 1 matchups.
The league’s all-time triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas and the Sun will host three-time All-Star Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx (the sixth seed) at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
At 10 p.m. ET, reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson leads the top-seeded Aces on their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02, when they host 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and the Chicago Sky (the eighth seed).
The action continues on Friday when five-time All-WNBA selection Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty (the second seed) begin their quest to win the franchise’s first WNBA championship, hosting the Washington Mystics (the seventh seed) at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Liberty, one of the league’s super-teams, will face a tough first-round opponent in the Mystics – a team that defeated New York on opening day and again on the final day of the regular season.
Arike Ogunbowale, a top-five scorer in the WNBA over the last five seasons, and the Dallas Wings (the fourth seed) will host 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard and the Atlanta Dream (the fifth seed) at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Game 2 matchups are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 19, across ESPN and ABC. If necessary, the series-deciding Game 3s will be played Wednesday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 22. The semifinal series begin Sunday, Sept. 24, and the 2023 WNBA Finals will tip off Sunday, Oct. 8 on ABC.
ESPN’s commentator team for the WNBA Playoffs will be led by the main crew of Ryan Ruocco, Hall-of-Famers Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe, with analysts LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter among others to be featured.
In addition to airing every game of the WNBA Playoffs, the Disney platforms will feature WNBA Countdown studio shows, as well as Hoop Streams WNBA digital pregame shows. Hosted by Robinson, the first Countdown special is a 60-minute edition on Wednesday, Sept. 13, on ESPN2 leading into the Mystics-Liberty game. The Hoop Streams playoffs show will be hosted by Terrika Foster-Brasby and Christine Williamson and stream on the first day of each round.
Here's a complete schedule of the first-round games and where you can watch them:
|
Date |
Time (ET) |
Matchup |
Network |
|
Sept. 13
|
7 p.m. |
WNBA Countdown LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck and Chiney Ogwumike |
ESPN2 |
|
8 p.m. |
Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun
– Game 1 |
ESPN2 |
|
|
10 p.m. |
Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces –
Game 1 |
ESPN |
|
|
Sept 15
|
7 p.m. |
WNBA Countdown |
ESPN2 |
|
7:30 p.m. |
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty – Game
1 |
ESPN2 |
|
|
9:30 p.m. |
Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings –
Game 1 |
ESPN2 |
|
|
Sept. 17
|
12:30 p.m. |
WNBA Countdown Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike |
ESPNEWS |
|
1 p.m. |
Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun
– Game 2 |
ESPN |
|
|
3 p.m. |
Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces –
Game 2 |
ABC |
|
|
Sept. 19 |
6:30 p.m. |
WNBA Countdown Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike |
ESPN2 |
|
7 p.m. |
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty – Game 2 Ruocco, Lobo, Rowe |
ESPN |
|
|
9 p.m. |
Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings – Game 2 Greene, Carter, Gray |
ESPN |
|
|
Sept 20 |
TBD |
WNBA Countdown Robinson |
ESPN |
|
TBD |
Las Vegas Aces at Chicago Sky – Game 3* |
ESPN |
|
|
TBD |
Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx – Game 3 |
ESPN |
|
|
Sept 22
|
TBD |
WNBA Countdown Robinson |
ESPN2 |
|
TBD |
New York Aces at Washington Mystic – Game 3* |
ESPN2 |
|
|
TBD |
Dallas Wings at Atlanta Dream – Game 3* |
ESPN2 |
* Game 3 (if necessary)
*** WNBA Playoffs semifinal series begin Sep. 24; WNBA Finals
begin Sun., Oct. 8 on ABC