What’s Trending in the #WNBAPlayoffs: Playoffs Reach Fever Pitch

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.

Follow the WNBA: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Here’s What’s Trending on Wednesday, September 30:


#WeAreFever: Indiana Knocks Off Liberty in Do-Or-Die Game 3

The Indiana Fever have gone from playoff afterthought to Eastern Conference champions.

For the second straight series, they crawled back from a 1-0 hole to win in a decisive Game 3 — this time on the road at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. They did it with stout defense, holding the top-seeded Liberty to just 51 points on 33% shooting in a 66-51 win.

https://vine.co/v/eQhDxnY1Mjq


#WNBAFinals: Lynx, Fever to Face Off in 2012 Rematch

https://instagram.com/p/8PHXBdi3fm/?taken-by=wnba

After two weeks of postseason action, the WNBA Finals 2015 matchup is set — and it looks familiar.

Tamika Catchings and the Fever will take on Maya Moore and the Lynx in a rematch of the 2012 Finals, in which Indiana upset Minnesota in four games.

Eleven players from that series remain on the two rosters, and both teams’ cores are still intact, including Catchings, the 2012 Finals MVP.


#BurnBright: Historic Liberty Season Ends in New York

https://instagram.com/p/8PQZ_ADNxc/?taken-by=nyliberty

First playoff appearance since 2012. Most wins in franchise history (23). First time finishing with the league’s best record.

It was a dream season for the New York Liberty until Tuesday night, when the league’s best defensive team couldn’t muster enough offense to accomplish the ultimate goal.

MORE: Despite Loss, New York Encouraged by Bright Future


#RoarWithUs: Lynx Eyeing Third Title in Five Years

ly-finals-interstitial-tix-INDIANA-1024x640

The countdown to Game 1 started even earlier for the Lynx, who took care of business in completing a two-game sweep on Sunday afternoon.

Minnesota will be looking to avenge its 2012 Finals defeat, and the Target Center is a good place to start: The Lynx are an incredible 91-13 at home over the last five seasons.


#FirstTimesACharm: White Becomes First Rookie Head Coach to Reach Finals

The doubts the Fever faced this season date all the way back to last season, when legendary head coach Lin Dunn retired.

That ushered in a new era in Indiana, yet the results have been the same under new head coach Stephanie White, a Hoosier State native, Purdue graduate and former Dunn assistant.

https://twitter.com/Coach_Dunn/status/649033312623796224

White becomes the first first-year head coach ever to lead a team to the WNBA Finals, and she showed why she has what it takes before Tuesday’s game:


#NBAFamily: Pacers Congratulate Fever on Conference Title


#PhantomCam: Conference Finals Celebrations

https://instagram.com/p/8J02t4C3d6/?taken-by=wnba

https://instagram.com/p/8QqLDyC3VM/?taken-by=wnba


#WatchMe: Two of League’s Brightest Stars Set to Match Up
It’s old school vs. new school, the vet vs. the rookie, beast of the East vs. best in the West. Whatever you want to call it, these WNBA Finals will be headlined by another marquee matchup between all-time great Tamika Catchings and young sensation Maya Moore.

Get to know the two superstars:

#WatchMe: Tamika Catchings | Maya Moore


#WatchESPN: Game 1 — Sunday, 3 PM ET on ABC

wnba_15finals_hub_hdr_0930

All five WNBA Finals games will stream live on WatchESPN. Here is the full series schedule:

  • Game 1: IND @ MIN | Sunday, Oct. 4 | 3 PM ET | ABC | WatchESPN
  • Game 2: IND @ MIN | Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 8 PM ET | ESPN 2 | WatchESPN
  • Game 3: MIN @ IND | Friday, Oct. 9 | 8 PM ET | ESPN 2 | WatchESPN
  • Game 4*: MIN @ IND | Sunday, Oct. 11 | 8:30 PM ET | ESPN | WatchESPN
  • Game 5*: IND @ MIN | Wednesday, Oct. 14 | 8 PM ET | ESPN 2 | WatchESPN