What’s Trending: September 15, 2015

Brian Kotloff

With so much #SummerHoops to take in this season, it’s hard to keep track of all of the storylines that will play out on a nightly basis this WNBA season. That’s what What’s Trending is for.

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Here, we’ll bring you the 10 things you need to know, see, listen to and/or watch in the past and coming week. It’s your one-stop shop for all things W, from which teams are on a roll to which players are coming up big to what the league’s superstars are up to off the court.

Here’s What’s Trending on September 15, 2015:

#WNBAPlayoffs: Field Set, Postseason Begins Thursday

#SummerHoops season is officially over as the WNBA Playoffs presented by Boost Mobile tip off on Thursday with the Conference Semifinals. The matchups were officially finalized on the final weekend of the regular season:

(1) New York Liberty vs. (4) Washington Mystics
(2) Chicago Sky vs. (3) Indiana Fever
(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. Los Angeles Sparks
(2) Phoenix Mercury vs. (3) Tulsa Shock

#TopSeeds: Liberty, Lynx Open Playoffs as Title Favorites

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The East runs through New York and the West through Minnesota this fall. Both teams finished atop their respective conference by two games, with the Liberty holding homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs thanks to a league-best (and all-time franchise best) 23-11 record.

3 Reasons Why ____ Will Win the Title: Liberty | Lynx | Sky | Mercury

The second-seeded Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury, who met in the WNBA Finals a year ago, are next in line to make a title run, with the Fever, Mystics, Shock and Sparks looking to crash the playoff party.

#HOF2015: WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie Enshrined in Springfield

One of the league’s all-time greats took her place among the game’s immortals on Friday in Springfield, Mass.

Longtime Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie was officially inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing her legacy following a career that featured two championships, three MVP awards and four Olympic gold medals.

MORE: 5 Things to Know About Leslie’s Career | Photos Through the Years

#TheSeason: League’s Top Teams, Players Gear Up for the Playoffs

#RacetoMVP: Delle Donne Makes One Final Push

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One of the greatest individual seasons in WNBA history closed with a bang over the weekend when Elena Delle Donne scored a combined 49 points in two games to finish with the fifth-highest scoring average all-time (23.4 PPG).

MORE: Delle Donne’s Historic Accuracy at the Foul Line | Where Her Season Falls in History

The race for the MVP award, which WNBA.com tracked all season, may not be a race after all, as EDD appears to have distanced herself from Maya Moore, Tina Charles and the rest of the pack.

#AwardsWatch: Stay Tuned to WNBA.com to Find Out This Year’s Recipients

The MVP and championship aren’t the only trophies up for grabs over the next month. Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Woman of the Year, Most Improved Player, Coach of the Year and All-WNBA honors will also be handed out.

The Rookie of the Year competition was heated all season long and is shaping up to be a close vote between Seattle Storm guard and No. 1 pick Jewell Loyd, foreign rookies Ramu Tokashiki (Storm) and Ana Dabovic (Sparks), Indiana Fever forward Natalie Achonwa and New York Liberty center Kiah Stokes.

#ShockTulsa: Shock Win Last Regular-Season Game in Tulsa

On Sunday, the Shock delivered at least one more win to Tulsa before they relocate to Dallas-Fort Worth next season, beating the Mercury to finish 18-16.

“It means a lot for this town,” Shock guard Odyssey Sims told the Associated Press. “So far, so good. What better way to go to the playoffs than to go the last year right before we move?”

The Shock head into their first postseason since their move to Tulsa in 2010 as the West’s No. 3 seed and will line up against the Mercury once again when their first-round series begins on Thursday (10 PM ET, ESPN2).

#TogetherWeWILL: Griner Dunks, Phoenix Set for Title Defense

Brittney Griner’s power dunk on Friday served as a reminder that the Mercury will still be a team to be reckoned with heading into the postseason.

Armed with a Big 3 of Griner, DeWanna Bonner and Candice Dupree — all playing at peak levels — the Mercury have the core to make another title run this October.

#WNBACares: Briann January Receives Community Assist Award

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WNBA All-Star Briann January of the Indiana Fever was awarded the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by State Farm for her remarkable generosity and charitable efforts throughout August.

Click here to read more.

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