WNBA playoff takeaways: A'ja dominating, Fever keep battling

The chase for this year's WNBA title is down to four teams.

The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx swept the Golden State Valkyries. Meanwhile, the Indiana Fever, Las Vegas Aces, and Phoenix Mercury all needed a Game 3 win to book their spot in the semifinals.

Here are five takeaways from the opening round of the playoffs.

Lynx show championship DNA

The Lynx have been on a mission since losing last year's WNBA Finals to the New York Liberty in a heartbreaking Game 5 at Barclays Center. Cheryl Reeve's squad won a record-tying 34 games and owned the league's best offensive and defensive unit during the regular season.

Minnesota produced a dominant two-way performance in its series-opening victory over the Valkyries, getting 42 of its 101 points from the bench and limiting the expansion club to 33.9% shooting. The team's next performance was far from perfect with Golden State leading by as many as 17 points. However, the Lynx dug deep in the fourth quarter and played with the urgency required to close out a playoff series.

Minnesota's mettle will be tested throughout the postseason, and being able to draw on previous moments of adversity will only benefit the team.

Fever's role players step up

Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have done much of the heavy lifting in Caitlin Clark's absence. While both players were instrumental in the Fever's first playoff series win since 2015, their supporting cast also made some vital contributions.

Natasha Howard had 12 points in each of Indiana's victories, providing the club with a rim-running big in transition and an aggressive driver. Lexie Hull found ways to pitch in despite her shooting struggles, including a clutch steal to seal Game 3. Odyssey Sims took some playmaking responsibilities off Mitchell's plate, tallying 15 assists in the opening-round series.

Indiana's second unit also did a great job of buying some minutes for the starters. Veteran big Brianna Turner brought energy on the glass and a shot-blocking presence. Shey Peddy - who has only been with the team for a month - knocked down a huge triple midway through the fourth quarter of Game 3 to pull the Fever within two points.

Stephanie White has gotten the most out of her roster all season long, and it's paying dividends.

A'ja in MVP form

Wilson provided another reminder of why she's in the running for a record-breaking fourth MVP award. With the Aces facing elimination against the Seattle Storm, the seven-time All-Star rose to the occasion, tying a playoff career high with 38 points in a narrow Game 3 win.

Wilson had amassed 50 points through the first two games of the series. The Storm found success in the fourth quarter of Game 2 with rookie center Dominique Malonga guarding Wilson. But neither Malonga nor three-time All-Defensive selection Ezi Magbegor provided much resistance against the Las Vegas center with both teams' seasons hanging in the balance.

Wilson showcased the offensive repertoire that helped her capture a second straight scoring title. She drained midrange pull-ups, attacked off the bounce, scored off the pick-and-roll, and made several contested turnaround jumpers. Her improved interior scoring against bigs with length is a testament to the offseason one-on-one workouts with boyfriend and Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo.

Wilson's been dialed in over the past month, and that's coincided with the Aces winning 18 of their last 19 games.

Thomas is 1-of-1

Alyssa Thomas is nicknamed "The Engine" for her ability to set the tone and get things going on both ends of the floor. The point forward's all-around play made her one of five finalists for this season's MVP award. Her versatility was on display all series and took the spotlight Friday evening as the Mercury knocked out the defending champion New York Liberty.

She dropped 20 points, 11 boards, and 11 assists in Game 3 for her record-extending fifth career playoff triple-double. Thomas joined Sheryl Swoopes as the only players in WNBA history with a triple-double in a winner-take-all postseason contest. No other player has registered a 20-point triple-double in the playoffs.

The six-time All-Star used her brute strength to punish mismatches in the post and power through defenders when driving to the basket. Thomas found open shooters off the drive-and-kick and was attentive to teammates making backdoor cuts or leaking ahead in transition. She does all the little things as well, whether it's getting on the floor for a loose ball or breaking up a sure basket for Breanna Stewart in clutch time.

Thomas is a mismatch nightmare, and the Lynx will have their hands full trying to keep her in check.

1-1-1 format a hit

The WNBA switched the first round back to a 1-1-1 format this year after using a 2-1 setup for the previous three seasons. The change guaranteed at least one home game for the lower seed instead of having to play the first two contests on the road before hosting a potential Game 3.

All four opening-round matchups would've gone the distance if the Lynx hadn't rallied past the Valkyries. The tweaked format produced some memorable playoff moments, even though not all the lower seeds prevailed.

Malonga had a true coming-of-age performance in the Storm's Game 2 comeback win, while Indiana's blowout home victory set the stage for its dramatic series-clinching win over the Atlanta Dream. The rest of the league also got a taste of the "Ballhalla" experience when Golden State hosted Minnesota for Game 2. The 1-1-1 arrangement couldn't have worked out any better.