WNBA Wraparound: Ionescu has NYC injected into her veins, the Sun steal a game, and the champs risk being swept

3 highlights in the WNBA this week:

Stewie goes Full Stewie: In Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals, New York beat Las Vegas 87-77, and that was in part due to Breanna Stewart. She scored 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. It was a Stewie Classic -— the kind of game where she somehow affects every single aspect on both sides of the ball. It felt like a statement to the world that this team was not going to have the same fate they had last season. Stewart was unable to be stopped, and Vegas had to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to slow her down in game two. Despite their efforts, the New York Liberty was able to go up 2-0 in the series, and now have three chances to close out the series and return to the WNBA finals for the second straight year.

Spike Lee injects New York into Sabrina Ionescu: A highlight of the first stretch of playoff games in New York was seeing Spike Lee courtside. New York sports fans know how hard he rides for his Knicks, and he was just as amped to watch the Liberty. Near the end of Game 2 of the first round, the Liberty had to push to make sure they didn't have to play a deciding Game 3 in Atlanta, and Sabrina Ionescu stepped up. At one point, Spike Lee gave her a high five as she inbounded the ball, and in Ionescu's words "injected New York City into my veins." The Spike Lee effect is still lingering, because Ionescu has been on fire during the second round as well. She scored 21 points in game one against Vegas, and 24 points in Game 2, but it was her energy, defense, and ability to evade Vegas that made the difference.

Connecticut takes game on the road: In the WNBA's other semifinal series, it's getting chippy. The Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun are two incredibly evenly matched teams, and the games have been reflecting that. Heading into the series, no game between these two teams had been decided by more than five points all season. Game 1 continued that trend, and Connecticut was able to sneak past the Lynx and steal one due to some poor offense from the Lynx down the stretch. In Game 2, the Lynx quickly returned to form and corrected their poor shooting performance. They ran away with the win, and that series is now all tied up.

2 games to Watch this week:

New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces, Game 3: Friday, Oct. 4, 9:30 p.m. ET

We are heading to Las Vegas! After playing their first four playoff games at home in Brooklyn, the New York Liberty will be tested on the road for the first time. The pressure will be heightened, as we head into three straight elimination games for the Aces. The back-to-back champion's hopes of securing the three-peat championship may be a little smaller at the moment, but this team is tough. They are going to put up a fight until the very end. The home crowd will be behind them as well, so New York is going to have a lot going up against them as they head into Game 3 and possibly Game 4.

Minnesota Lynx vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: Friday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. ET:

This series currently has a completely different vibe than the other one, as Connecticut and Minnesota are all tied up heading back to Connecticut for Game 3. With Game 4 definitely happening now, the Sun have a bit of an advantage with two home games in a row. Yet, these two teams are so evenly matched, that homecourt advantage is less of a factor. The defense has been elite in this series so far, and the Lynx are extremely threatening — homecourt or not. This series could definitely go to five games, and it's hard to tell who will make it to the finals in the end.

1 storyline to monitor in the WNBA: The back-to-back champions have their backs against the wall

In one of the most shocking turns of events this WNBA season, the Las Vegas Aces are in danger of being swept. Having lost two playoff games in a row for the first time in years, the Aces will now have to win three games in a row in order to make it back to the finals. They've struggled offensively against the New York Liberty all season long, and Game 2 was no different — players were missing layups, air balling and New York was playing suffocating defense on the perimeter.

The Aces have also struggled to contain the Liberty on the other end. A'ja Wilson can't defend Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones at the same time, and now with Kiah Stokes possibly having a concussion, defending the frontcourt will be more of a challenge. Then there is the matter of the Liberty's lineup change — bringing Leonie Fiebich into the starting lineup, creating a mismatch where Kelsey Plum is defending her. Plum's size disadvantage made it so she got two quick fouls in Game 1, and as one of the players who have been pulling the weight offensively for the team, they need her on the court.

Sabrina Ionescu has been a menace for the Aces as well, and several times in game two she was able to speed past her defender on her way to the hoop. It's looking like this Liberty team is just too deep to contain for the Aces in their current form. They will have to win Game 3 to avoid the sweep, but they will still have two elimination games ahead of them after that.