What happened: Las Vegas and New York enter the WNBA semifinals as the teams most closely tied to the league's recent championship race. The round opens Sunday, with the Aces back after surviving a first-round test and the Liberty again positioned for a deep October push.

Why it matters: That keeps the Liberty and Aces near the center of the 2026 title picture as the bracket narrows to four. If either club stumbles now, the path to the Finals opens up quickly for the rest of the field.

What to watch: Watch the semifinal openers Sunday for the first read on whether Las Vegas still owns the league's postseason standard or New York is ready to overtake it.