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After each prevailing in a thrilling win-or-go-home Game 5 in the semifinals on Tuesday, the top-seeded Seattle Storm and No. 3 Washington Mystics are set to battle it out in the WNBA Finals.
The games will be broadcast on ESPN News (Game 1), ABC (Game 2) and ESPN 2 (Games 3-5). If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of every game (or DVR them) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, which includes ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN News and ABC. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
Note that ABC is live in select markets, but even if it’s not available in your area, you can still watch the ABC game on the ESPN platforms by signing in with your Hulu credentials.
If you can’t watch any of the games live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
ESPN and ESPN 2 are both included in the “Sling Orange” channel package, while ESPN News is in the “Sports Extra” add-on. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
Note that ABC isn’t included, but can watch the ABC game on the ESPN platforms by signing in with your Sling TV credentials.
If you can’t watch any of the games live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
ESPN Platforms
Additionally, you can also watch a live stream of every game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. You’ll need to log in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can still sign up for one of the above options and then use your Hulu or Sling TV credentials to sign in and watch on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
The Storm have the league MVP in Breanna Stewart, but it was veteran teammate Sue Bird who willed her team to the finals.
With the Storm trailing the Mercury by four points midway through the fourth quarter in the deciding Game 5 on Tuesday, Bird, who was wearing a mask after breaking her nose in Game 4, turned into the Human Torch. She buried four threes, many of which were several feet behind the line, and poured in 14 points over the game’s final six minutes to propel her team to the win and a spot in the finals.
It was a transcendent performance from the 16-year veteran.
“This is up there,” Bird said. “I don’t know that I’ve had a fourth quarter like this in as big of a game in my life.”
Bird’s theatrics were legendary, and she seems intent on capturing a third WNBA title, but you can’t overlook Stewart. The UConn product somehow quietly dropped 28 in Tuesday’s Game 5, upping her series average to 24.0 per contest. That’s a step up from the 21.8 she averaged during the season, which earned her near unanimous MVP honors.
Of course, the Mystics have a pretty good player, themselves.
Elena Delle Donne is three seasons removed from her MVP-winning season, but she’s still a dominant offensive force. She averaged 20.7 points on 48.8 percent shooting during the regular season, and she has been a destroyer of worlds during the playoffs with averages of 21.4 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in five games. Her knee injury is one of the series’ most important storylines, but even a hobbled Delle Donne (15 and 10 in Game 4 and 14 and 11 in Game 5, both wins, after missing Game 3 with the injury) is a scary Delle Donne.
Throw in the backcourt duo of stud rookie Ariel Atkins and All-Star Kristi Toliver, who are averaging a combined 28.8 points in the postseason, and the Mystics have the weapons to hang with the top-seeded Storm.
No matter what happens, it’s going to be a thrilling series.