What I’m most looking forward to is
Obviously there are a lot of ardent and passionate WNBA fans out there, which is nothing new, but I’m looking forward to it. The first WNBA playoffs that the rest of the sports world has finally caught up to: Popular national TV reports, dramatic storylines, the hand-wringing of podcasts – this time, it all has to be there. And it’s about time. CDL
The semi-finals between Liberty and Ace. This year’s showdown of the super teams (and a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals) is coming a spot earlier than expected after Las Vegas fell to the No. 4 seed after a mixed regular season, but it’s risky to count out A’ja Wilson and the two-time champions. bag
At this point, thanks to the absolutely crazy behavior of the Phoenix Mercury’s social media team, the 42-year-old Diana Taurasi This will be her final postseason appearance. SK
Minnesota is acting as a disruptor. Since the Olympic break, the Lynx have gone a massive 13-1, the hottest record in the league, including a nine-point win over No. 1 seed New York a few weeks ago. Minnesota is not quite where it was when Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and their crew dominated the league, but the 2024 team has become a force in its own right with All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride. egg
Caitlin Clarke…
…preparing to act as a spoiler. She’s a total revelation, coming into the league with a ton of hype and somehow managing to rise (and beyond). She had a rough start early this year with little time between the NCAA Tournament and WNBA training camp. But she’s found her pace, and while the lower-seeded Fever are weaker than the mighty Sun, they’re a strong contender to storm into the second round. CDL
… somehow manage Exceed expectation. Frankly, it was hard to imagine what kind of turnaround the Fever would have had when they started 1-8 with a tired Clark throwing turnovers like Halloween candy. But they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the WNBA since the Olympic break, finishing with more wins (20) than Indiana’s last two seasons combined (18). bag
… it’s so much fun! I support it without hesitation. It’s been amazing to see the astronomical growth of this sport, and there’s no denying that Clark is a major part of it. She’s a generational talent, like Leslie, Swoops, Bird, Taurasi, Parker, Moore, Wilson. She’s incredible. SK
…Team Tebow of women’s basketball. Everyone has an opinion and will voice it whether they watch the game or not. Without a doubt, she puts the once incompetent Fever in a good position to make a deep run. Just… I don’t want to hear all the complaints if she doesn’t win in her first year. egg
There is a risk that high seeds will go out early.
Speaking of Connecticut LineThey are my pick for the most vulnerable top seed. They are a well-oiled machine with playoff experience and an impressive defense. In theory, they should be able to handle the young, playoff Green Fever. However, I know it is not a good idea to bet on Caitlin Clark when the stakes are highest. CDL
This time last year Las Vegas Ace It looked like one of the best teams we’ve ever seen. always The best defensive performance in men’s or women’s basketball, at least since the KD Warriors. But since then, their defensive effectiveness has fallen back into the pack, and they’ve been hurt by depth issues that were once manageable. Their biggest problem is sending six players to the Olympics, including the core four of Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum, creating a fatigue factor that threatens a three-peat.
I don’t know how that’s possible, but… ace?! I know this is Wilson’s world we all live in and they are my favorite team, but Sun and Lynx don’t play around and it’s hard to imagine Liberty missing out on this opportunity. SK
that Connecticut LineThey have the misfortune of starting their playoff campaign against a resurgent Fever. On top of that, they won’t be able to defend Clark as aggressively as they did when the season started. For one thing, she’s adapted. For another, she’s a franchise. egg
It’s hard to win
It’s hard to call a team that has won the championship for the past two years a “long shot” team, but Las Vegas Ace They won’t be the favorites to make the postseason. That said, early-season struggles aside, they have a super weapon in A’ja Wilson, who is not only the league’s clear MVP, but is having one of the greatest individual seasons in modern basketball history. If the Liberty meet the Aces in the second round (as I expect), they’re going to be in for a huge fight.
Seattle Storm. If Jewell Loyd is fully recovered from his knee injury and the Storm can get past a best-of-three first-round series against the most vulnerable Vegas team in years, their reward is a matchup with the No. 1 seed Liberty. But a team with Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith will be a tough opponent. bag
I should start this off by saying I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I think that’s what people want to hear. Indiana Fever Win everyone. SK
Atlanta Dream. They were the luckiest of the losers, and may have snuck into the playoffs because Angel Reese was injured before finishing his first season in Chicago. The Dream aren’t short on talent, especially former center Tina Charles, who was there and won a title and league MVP. Plus, the Dream have struggled as a team all year. If they can somehow win a pair of games against New York in that dangerously short first-round series, watch out. egg
The most important player in this postseason
Nafisa Collier MVP won’t be awarded because Wilson is the contender and Wilson will win unanimously. But Napheesa is definitely having an MVP-caliber season and I think (spoiler) the Lynx are the team to beat in this postseason.
Chelsea Gray. The return of the point guard who was injured in last year’s WNBA Finals sparked an early summer turnaround for the Aces. Wilson will be in her element on both sides of the court. But if Vegas is to flip the switch and reaffirm its defensive identity for the playoffs, Gray will have to do everything he can to make life easier for Plum and Young. BAG
Aja WilsonAja Wilson, Aja Wilsonnnnn. SK
Chelsea Gray. She gets the Aces moving, and while she was out of last year’s title race with a foot injury, the Aces struggled to build momentum. But now with “Point God” back in the driver’s seat, the Aces are firmly on track for a third straight title. egg
One bold prediction
Rumors are (loudly) going around that this guy is a WNBA legend. Diana Taurasi’s Last StandAnd it would be shocking and incredibly poetic if the “White Mamba” ended her legendary WNBA career in true Kobe style by scoring 60 points in her final game (I’m pretty sure her Phoenix Mercury won’t make it past the first round). I’m willing to hope so. CDL
The Aces were eliminated in the Eastern Semifinals. Then there won’t be enough energy left in the tank. bag
Fever rushes like crazy And bring down the sun early or Diana Taurasi didn’t receive a single technical foul throughout the playoffs. SK
At some point Kamala or Tim Walz will stop by. – especially if the finals are in a key state or if Minnesota makes it that far. egg
Playoff semifinalist
New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Indiana Fever CDL
New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun bag
New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces (I told you I didn’t believe in them), Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun SK
New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, Indiana Fever egg
The champion is…
Minnesota Lynx. If history has taught us anything, it’s that a lot of playoff success comes down to getting hot at the right time. Sure, the Liberty were comfortably the best team in the league for most of the regular season. But more recently, that best team has been Minnesota. They have a wonderful, unselfish offensive philosophy, one of the best coaches in WNBA history in Reeve, and a true MVP candidate in Collier. For months, it felt like Liberty’s time had finally come. But Lins is here, and they have other plans. CDL
Minnesota Lynx. Collier and his teammates have been on a tear since the Olympic break, winning 13 of 14 games, and have drawn a lot of attention for their dominant team defense after resting their star players in the final regular-season game on Thursday. Their sophisticated and democratic play On the offensive side, they’re drawn on the opposite side of the bracket from New York and Las Vegas, so they should have an easy path to what they’ve been dreaming of as a record-breaking fifth WNBA title. bag
New York freedomPeriod. After last year’s narrow miss, this postseason is theirs to lose. After getting through the Aces, it will come down to a best-of-five series against the Rins, and Stewie, Jonkel, Sabrina and their crew will try to give NYC its first basketball championship in 50 years. SK
Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx are booming, balanced, and coached by the greatest player of all time in Reeve, who already led USA Basketball to a gold medal this summer. When she’s on a roll, I don’t bet on her, especially now that last year’s finalists are on the other side of the seeding. egg
