Picture this with me, the defending champs stumble into the desert for Round 1, and waiting for them is a Phoenix squad that’s been circling this matchup for weeks. Sure, the Mercury may have slipped up against the Sparks on Sept. 9, it even cost them a chance at the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, but they still ended up with something even sweeter: home court against the Liberty. It’s a team they beat three times in four tries this season. Still, Nate Tibbetts knew the opponent was inevitable. “You’re going to get good teams no matter what,” he said, but you could hear the spark in his voice when he added, “We put ourselves in position to host, which is great.” Translation here is that Phoenix is ready to flex.

And across the bracket… The Liberty aren’t walking in with the aura they had a year ago, when Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones bulldozed their way to a title. Rather, injuries have splintered their rhythm this season. The rotations shuffled, the chemistry sputtered, and a late-August drubbing at the hands of these very Mercury was the lowlight. Still, they locked down the No. 5 seed at 26-17, healthy for the first time since May, and that means one thing: they’re dangerous again. “They’re really big and clearly they’re reigning champs,” Alyssa Thomas reminded us, her voice equal parts respect and challenge. The Liberty may be patched up, but the Mercury smells opportunity, and in the playoffs, that’s enough to make things combustible.

• Game 1: Liberty @ Mercury, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Game 2: Mercury @ Liberty, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Game 3 (if needed): Liberty @ Mercury, time TBD (ESPN2)

Phoenix Mercury vs New York Liberty: TV Channel and Streaming Details

Game 1 of the playoffs tips off on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in Phoenix, and with both teams finally at full strength, fans should expect nothing less than a first-round thriller that could go down to the wire.

For those opting to stream, you’ve got choices. There’s DIRECTV, which is offering a free trial and slashing $35 off your first month on its $89.99 package. Meanwhile, fuboTV doesn’t have a free trial, but subscribers can take advantage of a $30 discount on the first month of its $84.99 Pro or Elite package.

And if you miss the live action… WNBA League Pass has you covered, with full replays available once the final buzzer sounds. So tune in, and just don’t blink because this matchup promises fireworks.