ESPN2 & ESPN3.com To Air WNBA Playoff Games

The WNBA Playoffs are about to begin and ESPN2 will kick it off with a doubleheader on Thursday. As many as 17 postseason games will air on the Deuce. ESPN3.com will simulcast the games on its broadband service to participating internet service providers.

Here’s the ESPN press release.

ESPN2 and ESPN3 Set to Show Up to 17 WNBA Playoff Games

First Round to begin Thursday, Sept. 15

The WNBA Playoff bracket has been set with the Indiana Fever of the Eastern Conference and the Minnesota Lynx of the Western Conference grabbing the top seeds. ESPN2 and ESPN3 will show up to 17 playoff games beginning Thursday, Sept. 15, including the best-of-five WNBA Finals.

Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals

  • Top seeded in the Eastern Division, the Indiana Fever will face the No. 4 seed in the Western Division, the New York Liberty, to open ESPN2/ESPN3’s WNBA Playoff coverage on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 8 p.m. ET. The third game of the series, if necessary, will air from Indiana on Monday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.;
  • An always-anticipated Western Conference game, the No. 2 seed Seattle Storm will host the No. 3 seed Phoenix Mercury on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 10 p.m. The third game of the series, if necessary, will air from Seattle on Monday, Sept. 19, at 10 p.m.;
  • In the Eastern Conference, ESPN2/ESPN3 will start with the second game between the No. 2 seed Connecticut Sun at the No. 3 seed Atlanta Dream on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 3 p.m.;
  • The Minnesota Lynx, the top seed in the Western Division, will play at the No. 4 seed San Antonio Silver Stars in Game 2 on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 5 p.m.

Eastern and Western Conference Finals

  • ESPN2 and ESPN3 will have up to five games of the Conference Finals from Thursday, Sept. 22 – Tuesday, Sept. 27 in a best-of-three series.

WNBA Finals

  • The WNBA Finals are scheduled to begin Sunday, Oct. 2, with a best-of-five format;
  • As part of the celebration of its 15th season, the WNBA had its fans select the WNBA Top 15 Moments Presented by Boost Mobile. The top five greatest WNBA moments will be revealed during the ESPN2 telecasts of the WNBA Finals.

ESPN.com/espnW Full Playoff Coverage
ESPN.com and espnW will combine for comprehensive live coverage and analysis throughout the WNBA postseason.

  • Rebecca Lobo, Mechelle Voepel and Michelle Smith will break down each series, including predictions from Voepel and Smith;
  • New “3-pointers” video analysis from Voepel and Smith will preview each series;
  • Features on all eight teams competing in the first round;
  • Daily column from Voepel wrapping up each day’s action;
  • Live coverage of the Conference Finals from Voepel and Smith;
  • Additional game coverage for espnW by Graham Hays, Meri-Jo Borzilleri and Pat Borzi.

2011 WNBA Playoff Schedule (Subject to change)

Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Sep 15 8 p.m. Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 1:

No. 4 seed New York at No. 1 seed Indiana
Marc Kestecher, Carolyn Peck & Holly Rowe
ESPN2/ESPN3
  10 p.m. Western Conference Semifinals – Game 1:

No. 3 seed Phoenix at No. 2 seed Seattle
Pam Ward, Rebecca Lobo & Heather Cox
ESPN2/ESPN3
Sun, Sep 18 3 p.m. Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 2:

No. 2 seed Connecticut at No. 3 seed Atlanta
Beth Mowins, Carolyn Peck & Holly Rowe
ESPN2/ESPN3
  5 p.m. Western Conference Semifinals – Game 2:

No. 1 seed Minnesota at No. 4 seed San Antonio
Pam Ward, Rebecca Lobo & Heather Cox
ESPN2/ESPN3
Mon, Sep 19 8 p.m. *Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 3:

No. 4 seed New York at No. 1 seed Indiana
ESPN2/ESPN3
  10 p.m. *Western Conference Semifinals – Game 3:

No. 3 seed Phoenix at No. 2 seed Seattle
ESPN2/ESPN3
Tue, Sep 20 TBD * Conference Semifinals – Game 3 ESPN2/ESPN3
Thu, Sep 22 7 p.m. Conference Finals – Game 1 ESPN2/ESPN3
  9 p.m. Conference Finals – Game 1 ESPN2/ESPN3
Sun, Sep 25 3 p.m. Conference Finals – Game 2 ESPN2/ESPN3
  5 p.m. Conference Finals – Game 2 ESPN2/ESPN3
Tue, Sep 27 8 p.m. *Conference Finals – Game 3 ESPN2/ESPN3
Sun, Oct 2 4:30 p.m. WNBA Finals – Game 1 ESPN2/ESPN3
Wed, Oct 5 8 p.m. WNBA Finals – Game 2 ESPN2/ESPN3
Fri, Oct 7 8 p.m. WNBA Finals – Game 3 ESPN2/ESPN3
Sun, Oct 9 4 p.m. *WNBA Finals – Game 4 ESPN2/ESPN3
Wed, Oct 12 8 p.m. *WNBA Finals – Game 5 ESPN2/ESPN3

* – if necessary

That’s all.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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