Lynx and Dream advance to WNBA Finals: 2011 redux

It’s the playoffs like it’s 2011. The Atlanta Dream and the Minnesota Lynx are set to fight again for the league championship.

After finishing a two-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury with a 72-65 win to clinch its third consecutive Western Conference title, the Lynx will host the Dream in game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday, October 6 at Target Center (8:30 p.m. ET tip).

Atlanta swept Indiana and secured its berth in the finals with a 67-53 win over the Fever in Indianapolis. Angel McCoughtry led her team with 27 points. This is the third finals appearance for the Dream following 2010 and 2011.

The Lynx (26-8) wrapped up the regular season with the league’s best record for the third consecutive season, becoming just the third team in league history to string together three consecutive 25+ win seasons (Houston, 1998-00; Los Angeles, 2000-02). With its third consecutive Western Conference title, Minnesota became just the fourth team in WNBA history to make three consecutive WNBA Finals appearances, joining Houston (1997-2000), Los Angeles (2000-02) and Detroit (2006-08).

Schedule for the best-of-five WNBA Finals
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 6, Minneapolis, 8:30 p.m., TV: ESPN, Radio: BOB 106.1
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 8, Minneapolis, 8:00 p.m., TV: ESPN2, Radio: BOB 106.1
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 10, Atlanta, 8:30 p.m., TV: ESPN2, Radio: BOB 106.1
Game 4*: Sunday, Oct. 13, Atlanta, 8:00 p.m., TV: ESPN2, Radio: BOB 106.1
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 16, Minneapolis, 8:00 p.m., TV: ESPN, Radio: BOB 106.1
* if necessary. All times Eastern