WNBA playoff games today: What to know about Friday’s semifinal matchups

As the WNBA semifinals switch cities, players are getting an extra day of rest.

The action has shifted to the home arenas of the lower-seeded teams, as Game 3s of the semifinals are set for Friday. The New York Liberty are one win away from a return to the WNBA Finals, one year after they fell to their current opponent, the Las Vegas Aces, in four games. That means the Aces’ quest to threepeat is perilously close to falling short.

The Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday evened up the other semifinal series, though the Connecticut Sun will now play hosts for the next two games.

Here’s what to know for Friday’s playoff action:

What happened in the previous game? Minnesota bounced back from a series-opening loss to even the series at one game apiece. The Lynx got a huge boost off their bench, which outscored Connecticut’s by a margin of 16-4. Lynx guard Courtney Williams led all Lynx scorer with 17 points, while adding four assists and five rebounds. Minnesota won the game, 77-70.

What’s on the line? This is the third game of the best-of-five semifinal series. With the series tied, the winner of this game will gain a significant advantage, with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line. A victory would re-establish homecourt advantage for the Lynx.

What happened in the previous game? New York took care of its homecourt, winning the second game of the series at the Barclays Center. While Breanna Stewart was the catalyst in Game 1, it was guard Sabrina Ionescu in Game 2; Ionescu approached a triple-double, pouring in 24 points and adding nine rebounds and eight assists. The Liberty won, 88-84.

What’s on the line? A loss here would end the 2024 season for the Aces. This will be the third game of the best-of-five series, which means that for Las Vegas to advance to the WNBA Finals, it must win the next three games. New York would clinch its sixth trip to the WNBA Finals, though the Liberty have never won a championship.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA playoff games today: Semifinals for Liberty-Aces, Lynx-Sun