Las Vegas Aces-Seattle Storm on the spot basic ranks amongst all-time biggest WNBA playoff video games

When you had a tough time absorbing the previous few seconds of regulation in Sunday’s 2022 WNBA playoff recreation between the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm, you are not alone. There was sufficient drama in that brief timeframe for a whole collection.

The Aces took a 2-1 lead on this best-of-five semifinal battle after a 110-98 extra time victory in Seattle that left the Storm questioning the way it obtained away. That they had a four-point lead with 11.3 seconds to go, after which it obtained loopy.

Riquna Williams, the guard who Aces coach Becky Hammon pointed to earlier within the collection as a possible X issue off the bench, nailed a 3-pointer. Tina Charles missed two free throws for Seattle. A’ja Wilson made a driving layup for Las Vegas. Sue Bird hit a 3-pointer that gave the impression to be one other of her many game-winning daggers in a two-decade professional profession for Seattle. However Las Vegas had simply sufficient time for Jackie Younger’s layup to ship the sport to extra time.

When the buzzer sounded on the additional interval, MVP candidates Wilson (34 factors, 11 rebounds) and Breanna Stewart (20, 15) had double-doubles, as did Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who has been one of the best participant on this WNBA postseason (29 factors, 12 assists). Ten gamers in all scored in double figures, as this collection that options seven No. 1 draft picks continues to dwell as much as the hype. All three video games have been nice, however Sunday’s, with so many clutch performs with a lot on the road, grew to become an on the spot basic.

The place does it charge amongst WNBA playoff video games? Here’s a have a look at the ten finest.

1. Recreation 5 of 2016 WNBA Finals: Sparks 77, Lynx 76

Oct. 20 at Goal Middle in Minneapolis. The primary of back-to-back Finals conferences between the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx, this recreation on the Lynx’s residence court docket was for the championship.

Eleven factors have been scored within the closing 1 minute, 12 seconds, 10 of them by No. 1 draft picks: Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker for the Sparks; Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore for the Lynx. Seven of these factors got here within the final 23.4 seconds, together with Ogwumike’s game-winner with 2.1 seconds left on a putback of her personal shot that had been blocked by Sylvia Fowles.

The Sparks received the franchise’s third title — the primary for Parker and Ogwumike — and saved the Lynx from profitable three titles in a row and 5 total, as they triumphed in 2015 and 2017, together with 2011 and 2013.

Sparks followers recollect it as one of many sweetest moments in workforce historical past. Lynx followers level to a vital missed shot-clock violation towards the Sparks on Ogwumike’s basket with 1:12 left, which the WNBA formally acknowledged the following day. The league additionally acknowledged a missed eight-second violation towards the Lynx late of their Recreation 4 win.

2. Recreation 3 of 2022 semifinals: Aces 110, Storm 98

Sept. 4 at Local weather Pledge Enviornment in Seattle. By no means earlier than in a WNBA playoff recreation had there been three go-ahead or game-tying pictures within the closing 3 seconds of regulation or extra time till it occurred Sunday. Observers barely had an opportunity to tweet out, “Sue Hen does it once more!” earlier than Younger despatched it to extra time.

Afterward, Hammon, in her first season as head coach, mentioned, “That is the largest recreation on the sidelines for me. However I am unable to consider a back-and-forth, between two heavyweights, like this recreation. I imply, it was simply huge shot after huge shot after huge shot. And you have got two gamers who’re within the prime of their profession going at it. You actually cannot draw it up any higher from a spectator viewpoint.”

Keep tuned, although, as a result of three video games that Hammon performed in are on this listing, too.

3. Recreation 5 of 2018 WNBA semifinals: Storm 94, Mercury 84

Sept. 4 at KeyArena in Seattle. 4 years to the day earlier than Sunday’s Storm heartbreak was top-of-the-line clutch performances in Hen’s unbelievable profession, and it got here on the expense of fine pal Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury.

Phoenix led by as a lot as 11 within the first half and have been up 46-41 at halftime, after which 63-59 after three quarters. However led by Hen — who had suffered a damaged nostril earlier within the collection and at one level in Recreation 5 had missed eight consecutive pictures — the Storm rallied to win after which swept the Washington Mystics within the WNBA Finals for Seattle’s third title.

Hen had 14 of her 22 factors within the fourth quarter, and Stewart had 28 factors. All 5 Mercury starters scored in double figures, led by Brittney Griner, who had 21 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

4. Recreation 1 of 2009 WNBA Finals: Mercury 120, Fever 116

Sept. 29 at US Airways Middle in Phoenix. In an offensive tour-de-force from each groups, the rating was 105-105 after regulation. On a uncommon subpar evening from Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings (who had eight factors), the Fever have been led by Katie Douglas, Ebony Hoffman and Tammy Sutton-Brown, who mixed for 76 factors. The Mercury’s huge three of Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor mixed for 68. Indiana shot 55.6% from the sphere and the Mercury 50%. The Fever received the following two video games, together with an 86-85 Recreation 3 thriller, however Phoenix received the final two for its second title.

5.Recreation 2 of 2008 Western Convention finals: Silver Stars 67, Sparks 66

Sept. 27 at AT&T Middle in San Antonio, Texas. It was a really aggressive 2008 postseason because the six collection earlier than the WNBA Finals all went the gap, together with San Antonio, which had the league’s finest report that yr, and Los Angeles.

The Silver Stars had misplaced Recreation 1 of the West finals by 15 factors. Then within the final 52 seconds of Recreation 2, San Antonio’s Hammon hit a 3-pointer and Sophia Younger made two free throws, whereas Los Angeles’ DeLisha Milton-Jones made a putback. The Sparks have been lower than 2 seconds from the WNBA Finals. However Younger took an inbounds go from Vickie Johnson (present coach of the Dallas Wings) and launched a turnaround shot on the buzzer that hit the glass, hit the rim, bounced up and went in. The Sparks’ Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker had double-doubles, as did Younger.

The Stars then received Recreation 3 76-72 and went to the Finals, depriving 2008 MVP/Rookie of 12 months Parker an opportunity at profitable the WNBA title in the identical yr she had received the NCAA championship and an Olympic gold medal. Detroit swept the Silver Stars within the Finals, however Younger’s shot stays the spotlight of the San Antonio years of the franchise that’s now the Aces.

6. Recreation 1 of 2021 semifinals: Sky 101, Solar 95, double OT

Sept. 28 at Mohegan Solar Enviornment in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Solar had the league’s finest regular-season report (26-6), whereas the Sky have been 16-16. However after single-elimination wins (the WNBA’s playoff format for early rounds from 2016-2021) towards Dallas and Minnesota, the Sky’s playoff mojo was rolling — and led all of them the way in which to the franchise’s first championship.

They struck first on this collection behind guard Courtney Vandersloot’s triple-double, simply the second in WNBA playoff historical past, as she had 12 factors, a playoff-record 18 assists and 10 rebounds. Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP, led the Solar with 26 factors and 11 rebounds.

7. Recreation 2 of 2002 WNBA Finals: Sparks 69, Liberty 66

Aug. 31 at Staples Middle in Los Angeles. In what was nonetheless a best-of-three WNBA Finals collection, the Sparks obtained a game-winning 3-pointer from rookie Nikki Teasley to interrupt the hearts of the Liberty. New York performed for the championship 4 instances within the league’s first six seasons, however hasn’t been again to the WNBA Finals since 2002. That is additionally the final time a workforce received back-to-back WNBA titles; Los Angeles had defeated Charlotte within the 2001 Finals. Chicago, with a 2-1 lead in its present semifinal collection with Connecticut, remains to be alive to attempt to match that feat, which predates the Sky franchise’s existence by 4 years.

8. Recreation 2 of 1999 WNBA Finals: Liberty 68, Comets 67

Sept. 4 at Compaq Middle in Houston. With confetti being prematurely launched from the Houston enviornment ceiling, the New York Liberty‘s Teresa Weatherspoon launched a half-court heave that swished on the buzzer and saved the Liberty’s season for one more day. Earlier than you ask why that is so low: If this listing have been rating probably the most well-known WNBA pictures, it will be on the prime, however the total recreation wasn’t nearly as good.

There have been a mixed 27 turnovers, 64 free-throw makes an attempt (the Comets missed 10, which actually stung in a one-point loss) and each groups shot beneath 40% from the sphere. Houston stars Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes have been a mixed 4-of-22, which left the door open for Spoon’s heroics. The primary teammate to succeed in her for a postgame hug was Hammon, an undrafted rookie who made the Liberty roster and scored 10 factors off the bench that day. Recreation 3, nevertheless, was a 59-47 Comets win for his or her third consecutive title.

9. Recreation 1 of 2015 WNBA Finals: Lynx 80, Fever 77

Oct. 9 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. When Indiana and Minnesota met within the 2012 WNBA Finals, Recreation 3 in Indianapolis was a nightmare for the Lynx, when nothing went proper in a 76-59 loss and the Fever then went on to win the championship. Three years later, it was the identical Finals state of affairs: The Fever and Lynx break up the primary two video games in Minneapolis, and Minnesota risked falling behind 2-1 within the collection.

However Lynx star Maya Moore did not let it occur. With 1.7 seconds left, Moore took an inbounds go from Lindsay Whalen, pump-faked to lose her defender and launched a shot from the highest of the important thing with one-tenth of a second left. Her fourth 3-pointer of Recreation 3 got here on the buzzer to present Minnesota the victory.

Each groups shot 50% or higher from the sphere, however Moore’s dagger saved the day for Minnesota, which then received the title in 5 video games.

10. Recreation 2 of 2010 Western Convention finals: Storm 91, Mercury 88

Sept. 5 at US Airways Middle in Phoenix. 9 gamers complete scored in double figures, led by Taurasi’s 28 factors for Phoenix and Swin Money’s 23 for Seattle. Hen, who had 16 factors and eight assists, hit the dagger shot: a game-winning 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left. It closed out the West finals 2-0 for the Storm, who went on to brush Atlanta within the WNBA Finals for Seattle’s second title.