LAS VEGAS — The WNBA playoffs are finally here, and the Las Vegas Aces open their first-round series Sunday afternoon at Michelob ULTRA Arena against a familiar opponent — the Seattle Storm.
Vegas rolled into the postseason with a 15-game win streak. Seattle barely punched its ticket in the final stretch. On paper, this looks one-sided. But playoff basketball rarely follows the paper script.
Here’s what to keep an eye on.
1. Familiar Foes, Again
If it feels like these teams keep running into each other in the playoffs, that’s because they do. This will be the fourth time in the last five seasons.
The Aces bounced Seattle in the first round last year, sweeping in two. But before that? The Storm had the upper hand. Both squads know each other’s tendencies inside and out. No surprises here — execution and adjustments are what will matter.
2. Jewell Loyd Back in the Spotlight
Maybe the most interesting angle: Jewell Loyd. She spent a decade in Seattle, won titles there, then left under messy circumstances. She said she felt “bullied” at times, the Storm pushed back, and eventually a trade went through.
Now she’s in Vegas, coming off the bench after struggling as a starter earlier in the season. And it might be the best thing that’s happened to her game. She’s bombing threes, dropped 21 the other night, and her bench scoring has been flat-out huge.
She swears this isn’t personal against her old team. Maybe so. But you know she wants to remind the Storm what they lost.
3. New Playoff Format, New Twist
The first round isn’t the same anymore. In the past, the higher seed got both home games to start, with a possible Game 3 at the lower seed. Now it’s 1-1-1: Game 1 in Vegas, Game 2 in Seattle, and if needed, Game 3 back in Vegas.
That means the Storm get a guaranteed home playoff game at Climate Pledge Arena — their first since 2022. Coach Noelle Quinn is thrilled. Aces coach Becky Hammon? Not so much. She basically said the old system rewarded the regular-season grind better.
Either way, it’s another wrinkle in a matchup that already has history and emotion baked in.
The Aces are heavy favorites. They’ve got momentum, depth, and stars who know how to win. But the Storm aren’t here just to be extras in Vegas’ playoff show. If Loyd gets hot, if Seattle steals Game 2 at home… this thing could get a little tricky.
Tip-off Sunday, and we’ll see how it plays out.
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