WNBA Playoff Bracket 2024: Updated picture after Aces and Liberty advance to semifinals | News, results, highlights, stats and rumors

The top seed in the WNBA playoffs plays like a top seed.

The New York Liberty wrapped up their first-round sweep of the eighth-seeded Atlanta Dream with a 91-82 victory on Tuesday at Barclays Center. That wasn't a huge surprise, as the Liberty have their eyes on the WNBA title and have defeated the Dream in three of their four regular-season games.

They also won Game 1 comfortably with 83:69.

New York took care of its business and the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces did the same in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, defeating the Seattle Storm 83-76 on their home court.

Las Vegas is looking to become the first WNBA team to win three championships in a row since the Houston Comets won the league's first four titles from 1997 to 2000. With a win over the Storm, the team has taken the first step in that direction.

Here's a look at Tuesday's results and schedule.

Results and schedule of the WNBA playoffs on Tuesday

• No. 1 New York Liberty beat No. 8 Atlanta Dream 91-82
• No. 4 Las Vegas Aces defeat No. 5 Seattle Storm 83-76

New York Liberty 91, Atlanta Dream 82

The Liberty desperately wanted a clear win so they could focus on the next round, but the Dream didn't understand that.

In fact, the visitors built a double-digit lead in the first half, with Allisha Gray shining from distance. While New York fought back in the second quarter and took the lead, Atlanta did not let that deter them and rebuilt a five-point lead by halftime before a choppy second half.

Ultimately, however, the Liberty had too much firepower.

Sabrina Ionescu was unstoppable on her way to 36 points, nine assists and three steals, shooting 12 of 23 from the field and 5 of 11 from beyond the arc. She made two straight three-pointers to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, then assisted Leonie Fiebich on a crucial and-1 as the home team began to take control.

Ionescu was not alone, as Jonquel Jones (20 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and a block on 8 of 12 shooting from the field) managed a double-double, while Breanna Stewart contributed 13 points and six rebounds.

Atlanta received 26 points thanks to 5 of 8 long-range shooting from Gray and a convincing performance from Rhyne Howard (19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks).

Nevertheless, in the end it was not enough.

Ionescu controlled the tempo even when she didn't directly score or assist, and fittingly decided the game at the free throw line as the crowd rewarded her with MVP chants.

A'ja Wilson and the two-time defending champion move into the next round.

The Aces defeated the Storm 83-76 on Tuesday night at Michelob Ultra Arena to advance to the semifinals, where they will face No. 1 seed Liberty.

Amid a back-and-forth between some of the WNBA's best players, the Aces won their first-round series against the Storm thanks to veterans like Wilson and Kelsey Plum.

Wilson, the 2024 WNBA MVP, finished Tuesday's contest with 24 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Plum contributed the most points on her team with 29 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Equally important to the team's success were Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, who together contributed 21 points to the victory.

While the Storm had no easy task against the defending champions, Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike did everything they could to help Seattle keep the 2024 season alive.

Williams scored 20 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Ogwumike finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and one assist.

Skylar Diggins-Smith and Ezi Magbegor also contributed 27 points, but Jewell Loyd finished with just nine points, well below her regular season average of 19.7 points.

Now facing a strong New York team that finished the regular season with a 32-8 record, the Aces will continue to rely on Wilson and Plum in the next round against the Liberty in an attempt to recreate last year's WNBA Finals.