18 hours until playoffs begin

Playoffs:

Tamika Catchinga and Stephanie White are looking to extend their Fever careers in the playoffs.

Catchings wants to keep driving her new Lexus to work.

Under the new playoff format, the Liberty have no room for error. They are waiting for their shot at a championship.

The return to the playoffs is encouraging for Storm point guard Sue Bird. The Storm are peaking at the perfect time.

Dream guard Tiffany Hayes has been suspended for tomorrow's loser-out game for receiving her seventh technical foul of the season. But the Dream are ready to run without Hayes.

Rebekkah Brunson is a machine for the Lynx.

Mercury veteran Diana Taurasi only gets better in elimination games.

Phoenix looks to salvage their season in the playoffs.

Playoff logistics.

The new WNBA playoff model could be an NBA test case.

Tomorrow's game schedule:

Mercury and Fever tip off at 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern, and Storm and Dream begin at 5 p.m. Pacific/8 p.m. Eastern, both on ESPNews.

Award time:

Nneka Ogwumike is the AP WNBA player of the year.

Storm forward Breanna Stewart has won the AP rookie of the year award.

Brian Agler is the AP coach of the year.

The AP sixth woman of the year is Jantel Lavender.

Sylvia Fowles is the AP defensive player of the year.

The AP comeback player of the year is Chiney Ogwumike.

The AP most improved player is Elizabeth Williams.

AP first and second teams are here.

Here's the AP all-rookie team.

Stewart swept the WNBA's rookie of the month awards for this season.

Tina Charles and Sue Bird are the WNBA's peak performers.

Maya Moore and Tina Charles are the Western and Eastern Conference players of the month for September.

WNBA player news:

Tamika Catchings recently found a moving note from Pat Summitt from her rookie season.

Elena Delle Donne feels her sister's presence in Chicago.

Sun rookie Jonquel Jones' future is bright.

A day in the life of rookie Breanna Stewart.

WNBA coach news:

Indiana coach Stephanie White says the Fever are in her DNA.

College news:

Ohio State transfers are ready to fill big roles.

Georgia freshman Kortney Eisenman has been medically disqualified for a heart condition.