2023 WNBA Playoffs guide: How to watch, game schedule, more

The 2023 WNBA Playoffs tip offtonight, and every game will be televised on ABC, ESPN orESPN2.

The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aceswill take the court on Wednesday night to open the best-of-threefirst-round series for their respective Game 1 matchups.

The league’s all-time triple-doubleleader Alyssa Thomas and the Sun will host three-time All-StarNapheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx (the sixth seed) at 8 p.m.ET on ESPN2.

At 10 p.m. ET, reigning MVP andDefensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson leads the top-seeded Aceson their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titlessince the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02, when they host 2021 WNBAFinals MVP Kahleah Copper and the Chicago Sky (theeighthseed).

The action continues on Friday whenfive-time All-WNBA selection Breanna Stewart and the New YorkLiberty (the second seed) begin their quest to win the franchise’sfirst WNBA championship, hosting the Washington Mystics (theseventh seed) at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Liberty, one of theleague’s super-teams, will face a tough first-round opponent in theMystics – a team that defeated New York on opening day and again onthe final day of the regular season.

Arike Ogunbowale, a top-five scorer inthe WNBA over the last five seasons, and the Dallas Wings (thefourth seed) will host 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howardand the Atlanta Dream (the fifthseed) at 9:30 p.m. ET onESPN2.

Game 2 matchups are scheduled forSunday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 19, across ESPN and ABC. Ifnecessary, 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 tipoff Sunday, Oct. 8on ABC.

ESPN’s commentator team for the WNBAPlayoffs will be led by the main crew of Ryan Ruocco,Hall-of-Famers Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe, with analysts LaChinaRobinson, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter among others to befeatured.

In addition to airing every game ofthe WNBA Playoffs, the Disney platforms will feature WNBA Countdownstudio shows, as well asHoop StreamsWNBAdigital pregame shows. Hosted by Robinson, the first Countdownspecial is a 60-minute edition on Wednesday, Sept. 13, on ESPN2leading into the Mystics-Liberty game. The HoopStreamsplayoffs show will be hosted byTerrikaFoster-BrasbyandChristine Williamson and stream on thefirst day of each round.

Here's a complete schedule of thefirst-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.

MinnesotaLynx at Connecticut Sun– Game 1Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe

ESPN2

10 p.m.

ChicagoSky at Las Vegas Aces –Game 1Tiffany Greene, Monica McNutt, Ros Gold-Onwude

ESPN

Sept 15

7 p.m.

WNBA CountdownRobinson, Peck, Ogwumike

ESPN2

7:30 p.m.

Washington Mystics at New York Liberty – Game1Ruocco, Lobo, Gold-Onwude

ESPN2

9:30 p.m.

Atlanta Dream at DallasWings –Game 1Pam Ward, Andraya Carter, Angel Gray

ESPN2

Sept. 17

12:30 p.m.

WNBA Countdown

Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike

ESPNEWS

1 p.m.

Minnesota Lynx at ConnecticutSun– Game 2Ward, McNutt, Gold-Onwude

ESPN

3 p.m.

Chicago Sky at Las VegasAces –Game 2Ruocco, Lobo, Rowe

ABC

Sept. 19

6:30 p.m.

WNBA Countdown

Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike

ESPN2

7 p.m.

Washington Mystics at New YorkLiberty– 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 atChicagoSky–Game 3*

ESPN

TBD

Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx – Game 3

ESPN

Sept 22

TBD

WNBA Countdown

Robinson

ESPN2

TBD

New York Aces at WashingtonMystic– Game 3*

ESPN2

TBD

Dallas Wings at Atlanta Dream – Game 3*

ESPN2