What’s Trending in the #WNBAPlayoffs: Fever Advance; Who’s Next?

Brian Kotloff

Welcome to the Heat Wave of the WNBA Playoffs 2015 presented by Boost Mobile, when #SummerHoops give way to the chase for a championship. Here, WNBA.com will bring you what you need to know, see, listen to and/or watch each day.

What’s Trending is your one-stop shop for all things W, from which teams are making a championship push and which players are coming up clutch to the buzz going on off the court.

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Here’s What’s Trending on Tuesday, September 22:


#WatchMe: Watch the WNBA’s Best Compete for the Ultimate Prize


#FeverWin: Indiana Advances to Fifth Straight Conference Finals

The Fever are back in familiar territory.

While MVP Elena Delle Donne and the Chicago Sky enjoyed a dream season, postseason staple Indiana proved too much in Monday night’s decisive Game 3. All-time great Tamika Catchings added to her ever-growing resume with 27 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the Fever to their fifth straight Conference Finals, tying the Los Angeles Sparks’ record (1999-2003).

“I’m savoring the moment,” Catchings said after the game.


#ESPN2: Back-to-Back Do-or-Die Game 3s Tonight (7 PM ET, 9 PM ET)

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For four teams, it all comes down to this.

Tuesday night will mark the end of the road for two teams and a cause for celebration for two others as a pair of first-round series conclude in a winner-take-all Game 3.

Both games will air on ESPN2 and be streamed live on WatchESPN.

WATCH: Mystics vs. Liberty | Sparks vs. Lynx


#FOROURTOWN: Delle Donne Drops 40 in Sky Loss

For the second straight year, Elena Delle Donne faced an elimination game in the first-round and delivered an epic playoff performance. This time, it wasn’t enough.

EDD’s magical season ended with her scoring a playoff career-high 40 points in a losing effort. She shot 15-for-22 from the field, including 5-of-10 from three-point range, and added six rebounds and a highlight-reel block.


#BurnBright: Liberty, The Garden Prep for Game 3

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The Liberty’s banner season — which featured a franchise-best 23-11 regular-season record, their first playoff appearance since 2012, and their first first-place finish since 2002 — is on the line on Tuesday night.

The league’s top defense will look to stifle a well-balanced Mystics team once again. New York’s homegrown, inside-out duo of Tina Charles (22.0 PPG) and Epiphanny Prince (18.5 PPG) carry the load offensively.


#Relentless: Mystics Eyeing Major Upset

Washington stunned a hyped crowd at The Garden on Friday night in stealing Game 1 in double overtime. But doing it again on the road is an even bigger challenge.

Guard Ivory Latta came up big in Game 1, and the Mystics need to get the frontcourt tandem of Stefanie Dolson and Emma Meesseman going to match the Liberty’s physicality.


#RoarWithUs: Lynx Looking to Defend Homecourt

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Maya Moore and the Lynx are facing one of the toughest No. 4 seeds in recent memory, but no one is tougher at home than Minnesota.

Since drafting Moore in 2011, the Lynx have won 89 of 102 games on their home floor, including 16 of 17 playoff games.


#WeAreLA: Red-Hot Parker Leads Sparks into Minnesota

Candace Parker has been virtually unstoppable since returning to the Sparks after the All-Star break, averaging a never-before-seen line of 19.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 16 regular-season games.

She dropped 25 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists on Sunday to help force tonight’s Game 3. L.A. will need Parker and the rest of its all-All-Star starting lineup to come up clutch in order to topple Minnesota.


#MakingHistory: Catchings Surpasses 1,000 Career Playoff Points

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This season has been a nonstop opportunity for Tamika Catchings to enhance her legacy, and she did so again on Monday night.

With her 27 points, the 13-year vet became the first player ever to surpass 1,000 playoff points in a WNBA career. Her third straight 20+-point game gave her 24 such games in her career — second all-time to Diana Taurasi’s 26.

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#WNBADraft: Lottery to Take Place Live on ESPN2 Thursday Night

The stakes are even higher than usual at this year’s WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm, with three-time NCAA champion Breanna Stewart, a rising senior, the consensus top prospect.