While New York comes limping into the playoffs after losing its past three home games, Indiana is one of few teams that actually played its way into the postseason, winning seven of its past 10 games.

The Liberty went 2-1 against the Fever this season, and so far, Tamika Catchings has put on a show in each game. The Indiana rookie is averaging 21.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 steals against New York this season.

New York Liberty
East seed: 1. Record: 18-14. Home record: 10-6. Streak: Lost 2.
Last 10: 5-5. Points for: 65.3. Points against: 63.0.

Skinny: New York is definitely the team to beat in the East as the Liberty bring a wealth of experience into the postseason. Teresa Weatherspoon, Tari Phillips, Vickie Johnson and Sue Wicks are savvy veterans who have been here before and know what it takes to win when your season is on the line. New York's 3-point shooting has been the key all season, especially with Johnson (42 percent from 3-point range) and Crystal Robinson (38 percent) serving as snipers on the wings.

Phillips and Tamika Whitmore have played really well this year, and although they're undersized, they play smart and quick.

Indiana Fever
East seed: 4. Record: 16-16. Home: 10-6. Streak: Won 2.
Last 10: 7-3. Points for: 65.5. Points against: 66.5.

Skinny: The Fever really earned their way into the playoffs and have a legitimate MVP candidate in Catchings, and got a big late-season boost after trading for Coquese Washington, who has helped lead the Fever to an 8-3 mark since she arrived.

Indiana took a big blow inside, however, after placing Olympia Scott-Richardson on the injured list earlier this week.

Playoff schedule
Aug. 16: New York at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Aug. 18: Indiana at New York, noon ET, NBC
Aug. 20: Indiana at New York, 8 p.m. ET, Oxygen (if necessary)

Season series
June 8: At Indiana 71, New York 62
June 25: At New York 74, Indiana 55
July 19: New York 70, at Indiana 62

1: Teresa Weatherspoon vs. Coquese Washington

	Washington

	Weatherspoon

Weatherspoon, New York: Throughout the season, Weatherspoon has been comfortable delivering the ball to the right player, but she has to look to be ore of a scoring threat. She's shooting just 34 percent from the field and 10 percent from 3-point range, and considering she's playing 30 minutes and averaging just 3.4 points, that has become a problem for New York. You can't play five against four on offense, and Weatherspoon needs to at least take people off the bounce and attack the glass. She's still quicker than a lot guards, and with her great foot speed she can still turn the corner. Weatherspoon's a very smart defender, too, and understands the angles.
Washington, Indiana These two players are very familiar with each other. In 1999, they were teammates, and back then, Washington was Weatherspoon's backup. Now, Washington is a much better player. I like everything about her game. She's a great leader, and since Indiana traded for her, the Fever are 8-3. She has has given Indiana some quality minutes (29 mpg). While she's a decent shooter and averages 7.3 points per game, she's most valuable for her decision-making skills.
Advantage:Weatherspoon. This should be a very spirited matchup, but 'Spoon is still the heart and soul of this team and the Liberty's emotional leader, and her pride and experience speaks volumes. Yes, Washington already has a ring, but given New York's past success, 'Spoon has played bigger minutes in bigger games.

2: Vickie Johnson vs. Nikki McCray

	McCray

	Johnson

Johnson, New York: The most underrated star in the WNBA's six years, Johnson can hit big buckets, shoot the 3, read the defense, everything. She takes the back seat to no one, averaging 11.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and shooting 45 from the field, 42 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent at the foul line. No one realizes she's New York's all-time leading scorer, or that she has been to the foul line more than any player in team history. Johnson is a big-time player, and New York really needs her to come up big and be consistent throughout the playoffs.
McCray, Indiana: This is another good matchup and should be a fun battle. McCray doesn't get all the attention she used to, especially with Catchings' emergence, but she's having a good year (11.5 pgg, 3.0 rpg). McCray is a great defender, too, and is shooting the ball fairly well from outside. More than anything, McCray believes in coach Nell Fortner, and it shows. McCray is willing to sacrifice her game and is continuing to mature each and every year.
Advantage: Even. This is a pick 'em. Both are great veterans who are loaded with experience. The difference might be in which player is tougher mentally, but again, they're both pretty mentally tough.

3: Crystal Robinson vs. Tamika Catchings

	Catchings

	Robinson

Robinson, New York: She has a picture-perfect jump shot that is just beautiful, and can catch and shoot, hit the 3 or take you off the bounce. Robinson is smart and executes well within coach Richie Adubato's very interesting offensive sets. Like Johnson, however, Robinson must bring her A-game to the playoffs. When Weatherspoon isn't scoring, Johnson and Robinson must provide some consistent offense and work hard on the defensive end.
Catchings, Indiana: She shoots, runs, rebounds, gets loose balls, goes to the basket, can hit the 3 (39 percent from downtown) and makes you pay at the foul line (81 percent accuracy; has attempted 184 free throws, 81 more than anyone else on team). Catchings, who ranks third in the league with 12 double-doubles, leads Indiana in scoring (18.6 points), rebounding (8.6), steals (2.9) and blocked shots (1.3), and ranks second in assists (3.7). And she tops the league in several categories, too, including 3-point attempts (193). Catchings has had an incredible year, and would have been the All-Star MVP is the East had won the game. She is simply the future of the game.
Advantage: Catchings. She's relentless and does it all. She's the future of the game, and plays so hard that opposing teams complain to the league that she plays too hard.

4: Tari Phillips vs. Nadine Malcolm

	Malcolm

	Phillips

Phillips, New York: She's an undersized post, but Malcolm is a hard-nosed monster who gets it done and is just so tough to defend. She has great hands and feet, and great anticipation. Malcolm is difficult to box out, and has a Dennis Rodman-like quickness that has helped her average seven rebounds a game this season (2.2 on the offensive end). The Liberty's leading scorer (14.1) and rebounder, Phillips shoots a high percentage (49 percent), can pass out of the double team, run the floor and serve as a very active defender.
Malcolm, Indiana: For a player who started out as a free agent, attending the local tryouts in Indiana to make the team, Malcolm has proven to be an important piece of the puzzle for the Fever. She has started 28 games, averaging 27.8 minutes. Although she's shooting just 29 percent from 3-point range, she gives you a lot of diversity on the court. Her scoring average has dipped from 8.3 a year ago to 5.4 this season, but that's probably more a result of Catchings' dominance than anything else. Malcolm is big, strong, can go inside or out, and on this team, she's a great role player.
Advantage: Robinson. She's a remarkable player and has more experience.

5: Tamika Whitmore vs. Kelly Schumacher

	Schumacher

	Whitmore

Whitmore, New York: This candidate for Comeback Player of the Year is New York's second-leading scorer (12.7) and No. 2 rebounder (4.0), and also averages 1.3 blocks. Last season, she averaged 7.1 points and three rebounds, but came into camp in great shape physically and mentally and has done everything Adubato has wanted this summer. More than anything, she has allowed Adubato to give Phillips some legitimate help in the middle. In the past, you never knew what she was going to give you, but now he knows he's getting consistency out of her.
Schumacher, Indiana: After Olympia Scott-Richardson was placed on the injured list with a right foot injury, Schumacher got her first start in Tuesday's regular-season finale. The former UConn Husky came up big, recording career highs in points (15) and rebounds (nine). Still, Scott-Richardson's absence is a big one. She had started 31 games this year and was the team's second-leading rebounder (6.8) and No. 3 scorer (9.4), and was probably having her best season as a pro. Most coaches love her because she's the locker room lawyer, always willing to get in her teammates' faces and hold them accountable, which means Indiana might be losing some leadership here, as well as a great defender who often beat posts down the floor and was relentless on the boards. Schumacher, who is averaging 11.4 minutes, is best known as a shot blocker, and is good fundamentally with good low post moves. It will be interesting to see what she can do.
Advantage: Whitmore. Whether she was going to match up with Scott-Richardson or Schumacher, Whitmore has the edge.

Bench
While some critics have questioned New York's lack of depth, going just seven players deep has worked, especially since Sue Wicks and Becky Hammon are playing so well. Wicks works to disrupt the opponents' defense and also comes off the bench to contribute all the little things that never show up on the stat sheet. Hammon is the offensive spark plug off the bench, and is shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc. Indiana's bench, meanwhile, took a hit with Scott-Richardon on the IL. Up until that point, Schumacher was another big who could come in when Malcolm or Scott-Richardson needed a rest. But now, with so many guards on the Fever bench (including Niele Ivey and streaky Monica Maxwell and Bridget Pettis), that role falls to Alicia Thompson, who's 6 feet 1. Indiana is a very small team in the middle without Scott-Richardson in the mix.

Coaches

	Fortner

	Adubato

Richie Adubato, New York: He's one of the finest coaches in the league, and his peers really feel he's one of the best at exploiting matchups. He has a wealth of knowledge and knows how to prepare his team.
Nell Fortner, Indiana: Like Lin Dunn in Seattle, Fortner benefits from having a superstar like Catchings on her roster. But Fortner also is proving she does a very good job preparing Indiana. I like her system. She has brought in players who she felt would play well for her, and you can tell they enjoy playing for her. They get after it defensively, too. And give Fortner and Indiana's Chief Operating Officer Kelly Krauskopf some credit -- the trades that brought McCray and Washington to Indiana were brilliant, and so was drafting Catchings despite the torn ACL. This franchise should be very proud of what's happened in such a short period of time.
Advantage: New York. Adubato always seems to shine this time of year.

ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is a former WNBA coach, general manager and player. She is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's basketball coverage.