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Open Thread: Game 1 of both Conference Finals begin at 7:00 PM ET

I'm still not over DC's WNBA season ending, but life goes on with or without Mike Thibault, Ivory Latta, and Tayler Hill. The second round of the playoffs begin today everyone! All games are on ESPN 2 or Watch ESPN.

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Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports

#4 Indiana Fever at #2 Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 7:00 PM ET

This game will feature the two strongest teams in the Eastern Conference, both led by the two of the strongest forwards in the league with Tamika Catchings and Angel McCoughtry.

The Fever returns to the Conference Finals for the fourth time in the last five years, and also has a chance to get back to the Finals for the second straight year, and for the third time in five years. I personally will root for the Fever in this one, and it's because I want to see Tamika Catchings get one more shot at winning it all, not because of the Mystics losing to the Dream in their last two playoff series. Honestly.

#3 Phoenix Mercury at #1 Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, 9:00 PM ET

This game will feature the team that most preseason sources thought was going to go 30-4 at worst with a rookie center who would average 20 points and 15 rebounds a game and steamroll through the playoffs, and the team that most of us here on this site believed was the favorite to win it all, all along.

Obviously, the Mercury didn't meet expectations in the regular season, which resulted in Corey Gaines' termination midway through the season. Though he didn't have any WNBA or "women's basketball" experience, interim head coach Russ Pennell has definitely turned things around for the better. The one thing that makes the Mercury a scary opponent for the Lynx in this series is that this is the first time they will face Phoenix with Pennell as the head coach so I don't think the Mercury will just get swept by the Lynx.

That said, if I have to pick sides, I'm going with Tayler Hill's Hometown Team and not solely because the Mystics' first round draft pick is from Minneapolis. And I believe that the Lynx will win this series, two games to one.

The Random SB Nation Song of the Day

I haven't heard this song since like 2000 and this singer is based relatively close to the DC area, Baltimore to be exact which happens to be where Angel McCoughtry is from. Here's Sisqó, the lead singer of Dru Hill, with "Incomplete" which topped the Billboard pop charts at the turn of the millenium.

(here's the link to the page on Vimeo).

And most of you thought that "Thong Song" was his number one hit, didn't you? It only hit #3 on the charts, but let's be honest, that is his most notable tune.

That's all. Enjoy the games!