WNBA playoff takeaways: Sun and Lynx advance, setting up semifinal rematch

The WNBA semifinals are set after the Connecticut Sun downed the Indiana Fever 87-81 and the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury 101-88.

Here are some takeaways from Wednesday's playoff action.

Is this the end for Diana Taurasi? 

Taurasi finished with 10 points (3-of-10), two three-pointers, four rebounds and three assists in what could be her last appearance as a WNBA player. She didn't comment on her future following Wednesday's loss, but the writing may be on the wall.

If this was Taurasi's last game, the legacy she leaves behind will be a lasting one. Perhaps no player has impacted women's basketball like the future Hall of Famer, who is an 11-time All-Star, 14-time All-WNBA member, six-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time WNBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and the league's all-time leading scorer.

Napheesa Collier's record-tying performance leads Lynx to semifinals 

If the Lynx are to win their fifth WNBA title, Collier may lead the way. The four-time All-Star proved why she's one of the best in the league, scoring 42 points on Wednesday, tying Breanna Stewart (2022) and Angel McCoughtry (2010) for the all-time postseason mark.

Collier has recorded 30 or more points in three consecutive playoff games going back to last season, joining A'ja Wilson (2023) as the only player to accomplish the feat in WNBA history, per Stathead.

Sun proved too much for Fever, Caitlin Clark 

The unanimous 2024 Rookie of the Year didn't go down without a fight, finishing with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds against the Sun. Ultimately, a well-rounded Connecticut team proved too much to handle.

In Wednesday's victory, five different Sun players finished in double-figures, including Alyssa Thomas (19), Marina Mabrey (17), DeWanna Bonner (15), Veronica Burton (10) and the 2024 Most Improved Player, DiJonai Carrington (10). Meanwhile, a solid defensive effort kept the Fever to only 43.4 percent shooting from the floor and 26.7 from beyond the arc.

Caitlin Clark's incredible rookie season comes to an end 

Despite a valiant effort, Clark couldn't keep the Fever's season alive, ending the best season by a first-year player in WNBA history.

The 2024 No. 1 pick lived up to the hype, setting the rookie mark for three-pointers in a season while becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double. Likewise, she holds the single-season assists record and is the fastest player to reach 500 points and 200 assists.

Meanwhile, even in defeat, she left her mark, joining Maya Moore as the only true rookie to post at least 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in a playoff game, but overall, her performance wasn't enough.

Alyssa Thomas stands up

After the Sun victory, Thomas wasn't in the celebrating mood, choosing instead to stand up against racist remarks made toward her and her teammates by fans in Indiana and on social media. Speaking with reporters, the 10-year veteran said, "Something needs to be done."

"It's unacceptable, honestly, and there's no place for it," Thomas said via Natalie Esquire of NBC Sports. "Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don't want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things."

Marina Mabrey continues to pay dividends for Sun

In Wednesday's series-clinching victory, the 28-year-old finished with 17 points, including the game-sealing three-pointer with 45.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, giving Connecticut an 81-71 lead.

In two playoff games, the August trade acquisition has averaged 22 points, 4.5 assists and four three-pointers a game.