Seattle snaps Las Vegas's streak with Game 2 upset
The Aces' reign has ended, with the Storm fighting back to force a Game 3 on Tuesday, plus Indiana stays alive and more news to know
Seattle snaps Las Vegas’s streak with Game 2 win
The Storm beat the Aces to force a Game 3 of the WNBA playoffs first round last night. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
No. 7 Seattle came out on top last night, ending No. 2 Las Vegas’s 17-game winning streak with an 86-83 Game 2 win over the Aces — and extending the best-of-three WNBA playoffs opener to a winner-take-all finale.
Fueled by a combined 50 points from Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike, the Storm rallied back from a 14-point second-half deficit to stay alive.
“We are not unfamiliar with tight games,” Ogwumike said afterwards. “We are not unfamiliar with playing from behind.” (Watch full highlights)
Big picture: Thanks to the league’s new home-away-home first-round playoff structure, shared home court advantage is making sweeps less likely.
“I think that today was probably one of our best showings of composure. We weren't too high; we weren’t too low,” reflected Ogwumike.
Tune in: The Aces will look to clinch the series in Las Vegas tomorrow at 9:30 PM ET, live on ESPN2.
Indiana pushes Atlanta to a Game 3 decider
Indiana evened their first-round playoff series against Atlanta with last night’s upset win. (A.J. Mast/NBAE via Getty Images)
Injury-ridden No. 6 Indiana put on a show last night, defeating No. 3 Atlanta 77-60 to force a Game 3 first-round decider in the team’s first home playoff since 2016.
“This group has continued to show their heart and their character, night in and night out,” said Fever head coach Stephanie White postgame.
Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell led the way once again, scoring a game-high 19 points to extend Indiana’s playoff campaign. (Watch full highlights)
Big picture: The win marked Indiana’s first playoff victory in nine years, as they hope to exceed postseason expectations despite a lengthy injury report.
“Our backs were definitely against the wall in this, and we know that we’ve just been through so much this season,” Fever center Aliyah Boston told reporters. “Coming out with this win and then giving ourselves another chance in Game 3, emotions are high.”
Tune in: The Fever will battle the Dream back in Atlanta tomorrow at 7:30 PM ET, live on ESPN2.
New York’s Breanna Stewart remains a ‘game-time decision’
Liberty forward Breanna Stewart exited Sunday’s Game 1 with a left knee injury. (Aryanna Frank/Getty Images)
No. 5 New York fans are crossing their fingers today, as Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello updated reporters on Breanna Stewart’s availability after the star forward exited the team’s Game 1 win with a left knee injury.
“It’s going to be a game-day, game-time decision,” Brondello said yesterday. “So your guess is as good as mine. We’ll see how she goes tomorrow. We’ll give her as much time as we can.”
Big picture: New York upset No. 4 Phoenix in Sunday’s WNBA playoffs opener, beating the Mercury 76-69 in overtime as Stewart watched from the bench.
“Stewie’s in. Stewie’s out. We’re ready to go. We know what’s at stake,” Brondello said of the star. “We don’t want to go back to Phoenix, but they’re going to come in hungry. We know that.”
Tune in: The Liberty will look to oust Phoenix on home soil tonight at 8 PM ET, live on ESPN.
ESPN expands NWSL media deal to 33 matches
The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN networks next season. (Al Chang/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN, with the broadcaster signing on to carry 16 additional regular-season games in 2026 and 2027, upping the total number to 33 matches per year.
ESPN will also introduce a Match of the Week centerpiece, as well as live coverage of NWSL Decision Day, when eight concurrent matches close out the season.
This extension builds on the league’s blockbuster four-year TV deal with ESPN, finalized in November 2023.
Business is booming: The NWSL has seen significant growth across both viewership and attendance this season, with ESPN’s ratings up 72% year-over-year.
“We are thrilled to build on our relationship with ABC and ESPN to deliver more NWSL action to fans,” league commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “This supplemental agreement underscores the growing demand for women’s soccer and ensures our players and clubs receive the visibility they deserve on some of the most prominent sports platforms.”
Reebok announces Angel Reese 1 sneaker drop
Reebok will drop the Angel Reese’s AR1 for the first time tomorrow. (Reebok)
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese’s season might be over, but she’s still making headlines, with Reebok set to drop the second-year forward’s signature Angel Reese 1 sneaker tomorrow.
A cornerstone of Reebok's re-entry into the basketball market, the Angel Reese 1 is engineered for on-court performance, featuring responsive cushioning and added upper support.
Inspired by the brand’s classic Mobius line, the shoes will hit the shelves in three colorways — Diamond Dust, Mebounds, and Receipts Ready — with Reese's personal logo incorporated into the design.
Background: Reese first signed with Reebok as an NIL athlete at LSU in 2023, a little over six months after winning the NCAA National Championship with the Tigers.
This week’s roll out follows July’s sneak peek debut on the cover of NBA 2K26’s WNBA Edition.
“This isn’t just a shoe, it’s my style, my story, and my stamp on the game,” Reese said in this week’s press release. “Reebok and I built something that’s true to who I am, and I hope it pushes others to stand in their power too.”
Get yours: Retailing for $120, the Angel Reese 1 will be available on Reebok.com and via select stores.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sets US 400-meter semifinal record
The Olympic gold medalist earned a new US record for the 400-meter semifinal in the flat running event. (Christian Petersen/Getty Image)
Sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is reaching new heights, setting a US record for the 400-meter semifinal at this week’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist finished in 48.29 seconds, shaving more than .40 seconds off the prior 48.70-second record set by track legend Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006.
Both her personal best and the world’s fastest this year, McLaughlin-Levrone’s time also makes her the seventh-fastest woman to ever run the 400-meter, elevating expectations that she could challenge the overall world record of 47.60 seconds, set in 1985 by Marita Koch.
Shifting gears: Known for her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles, the 26-year-old made the decision to focus on the flat race ahead of this year’s competition.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting that time,” she said afterwards. “It just shows the fitness is there. I’m excited for the finals and grateful to have taken down a record by an amazing woman.”
She now moves on to tomorrow’s event final, alongside Olympic champions Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser.
Quote of the day
“For us, it was coming out and showing us we weren’t scared to play them.”
Seattle guard Skylar Diggins
on snapping Las Vegas’s 17-game- winning streak in Tuesday’s Game 2 win.