▁cont ender ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁as ▁they ▁finished ▁with ▁a ▁franch ise ▁best ▁ 2 8 - 6 ▁record . ▁With ▁the ▁W N BA ' s ▁new ▁play off ▁format ▁in ▁effect , ▁the ▁Lyn x ▁were ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁with ▁a ▁double - bye ▁to ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁( the ▁last ▁round ▁before ▁the ▁W N BA ▁Final s ) ▁facing ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁Mercur y . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁play offs , ▁August us ▁had ▁signed ▁a ▁multi - year ▁contract ▁extension ▁with ▁the ▁Lyn x . ▁The ▁Lyn x ▁defeated ▁the ▁Mercur y ▁in ▁a ▁ 3 - game ▁swe ep , ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁the ▁W N BA ▁Final s ▁for ▁the ▁fifth ▁time ▁in ▁six ▁years . ▁The ▁Lyn x ▁were ▁up ▁against ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁S par ks , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁in ▁league ▁history ▁where ▁two ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁conference ▁faced ▁each ▁other ▁in ▁the ▁Final s ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁play off ▁format . ▁However , ▁the ▁Lyn x ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁S par ks ▁in ▁five ▁games . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁August us ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁the ▁W N BA ▁Top ▁ 2 0 @ 2 0 , ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁the ▁league ' s ▁best ▁ 2 0 ▁players ▁ever ▁in ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁the ▁W N BA ' s ▁tw enti eth ▁anni versary . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ,