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This year’s finale will be a rematch of the 2014 title streak. Phoenix swept Chicago that season, with Diana Taurasi winning the MVP of the final as the Mercury claimed their third title. Phoenix, who also won championships in 2007 and 2009, is 3-1 all-time in the final; the Mercury lost to Houston in a best-of-three series in 1998.
This mark is the second appearance in the Chicago Finals. Sky won their return trip on Wednesday, becoming the lowest-ranked team to advance to the final in the current playoff format, which has been in place since 2016. No team ranked below third had never reached the final before.
The Sky were 16-16 in the regular season; the Mercury were 19-13. Their combined winning percentage in the regular season is 0.547 (35-29 WL), which is the lowest combined winning percentage in a WNBA playoff game in league history.
Chicago eliminated the seed Connecticut Sun in the semifinals, while Phoenix advanced after winning a decisive fifth road game on Friday against the second seed Las Vegas ace.
The WNBA Finals are a best-of-five series, played in a 2-2-1 format.
WNBA Finals (best of five)
Sunday October 10
Game 1: Chicago at TBD, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Wednesday October 13
Game 2: Chicago at TBD, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday October 15th
Game 3: TBD at Chicago, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Sunday 17th October
Game 4 *: TBD Chicago, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday October 19
Game 5 *: Chicago at TBD, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
* If necessary
Semi-finals (best of five)
Tuesday September 28
Game 1: Chicago Sky 101, Connecticut Sun 95 (2OT)
Game 1: Las Vegas 96, Phoenix Mercure 90
Thursday September 30
Game 2: Connecticut Sun 79, Chicago Sky 68
Game 2: Phoenix Mercury 117, Las Vegas As 91
Sunday October 3
Game 3: Chicago Sky 86, Connecticut Soleil 83
Game 3: Phoenix Mercure 87, Las Vegas As 60
Wednesday October 6
Game 4: Chicago Sky 79, Connecticut Sun 69
Game 4: Las Vegas As 93, Phoenix Mercure 76
Friday October 8
Game 5: Phoenix Mercure 87, Las Vegas As 84
Second round (elimination in one match)
Sunday September 26
No.5 Phoenix Mercury 85, No.4 Seattle Storm 80
No.6 Chicago Sky 89, No.3 Minnesota Lynx 76
First round (elimination in one match)
Thursday 23 September
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