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The 2022 WNBA playoffs are in full swing as the best women basketball players on the planet battle for the championship. Eight teams entered the tournament and seven remain. The Las Vegas Aces eliminated the Phoenix Mercury in decisive fashion, winning their second game by a WNBA playoff record 38 points thanks to strong play by Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and A'Ja Wilson.
The Mercury entered the playoffs shorthanded. Star center Brittney Griner remains imprisoned in Russia after being sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on drug-smuggling charges. Griner has appealed her conviction, while talks of a prisoner swap are ongoing.
Meanwhile four more teams play today and the field could narrow further. Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun look to dispatch Arike Ogunbowale and the Dallas Wings at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT) on ABC. Next up is Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics pushing to tie the series with AP Player of the Year Breanna Stewart and WNBA legend Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm after a close Game 1. That matchup will take place at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) on ESPN.
Those looking to follow the drama will need access to ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPNU to watch every game. We've broken down everything you need to know in order to stream the WNBA playoffs live without cable.
AP Player of the Year Breanna Stewart, right, will try to lead the Seattle Storm into Round 2 with a win today against the Washington Mystics.
Joshua Huston/NBAE/Getty ImagesWhat does the first round of the playoffs look like?
In a change from previous seasons, all teams will play in a best-of-three first round matchup. The winners will then move on to a best-of-five semifinal, followed by a best-of-five WNBA Final.
Here's the remaining first round schedule, with all times in ET:
WNBA first round playoff schedule
| Date and time | Matchup | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Aug. 21 (12 p.m.) | Dallas Wings at Connecticut Sun, Game 2 (Sun lead 1-0) | ABC |
| Sunday, Aug. 21 (4 p.m.) | Washington Mystics at Seattle Storm, Game 2 (Storm lead 1-0) | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Aug. 23 (7 p.m.) | Chicago Sky at New York Liberty, Game 3 (series tied 1-1) | ESPN 2 |
| Wednesday, Aug. 24 (TBD) | Connecticut Sun at Dallas Wings, Game 3* | ESPN 2 |
| Wednesday, Aug. 24 (TBD) | Seattle Storm at Washington Mystics, Game 3* | ESPN 2 |
*If necessary.
Best options for streaming without cable
The remaining games in the 2022 WNBA playoffs will air on the Disney family of networks, namely ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2. To catch every second on the basketball action, cord-cutters will need to subscribe to a live TV streaming service. Here's how they break down.
You can catch the WNBA playoffs with a subscription to YouTube TV, our favorite live TV streaming service. ABC, ESPN and ESPN 2 are all included in the package, which means you'll have all the channels you need in order to watch every second of the action.
Hulu Plus Live TV is a little more expensive than YouTube TV, but it also offers all the channels you need to watch the WNBA playoffs. As an added bonus, Hulu Plus Live TV comes with the rest of the Disney Bundle, which includes a subscription to Disney Plus, as well as ESPN Plus. The WNBA playoffs don't air on ESPN Plus, but the service offers a ton of other content for die-hard sports fans.
Sling TV's $35 Orange plan might be a good choice for casual WNBA fans who don't need to watch every game. This plan is one of the cheapest ways to get access to ESPN and ESPN 2. Sling TV lacks ABC, which could be a problem for fans hoping to catch some of the biggest games.