There is still much to decipher in the WNBA regular season, but it is hard not to look forward to the postseason, where legends and legacies are built. Though this is not final, let’s consider how the playoffs would shake up today.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | Quarterfinals
No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever
No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7 Washington Mystics
No. 3 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 6 Seattle Storm
No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 5 Las Vegas Aces
Today, the number one-seeded New York Liberty will face off against the eight-seeded Indiana Fever. This heavyweight matchup occurs in the first round because the Fever have dealt with injuries that would bite them in this series. Even with the Fever at full strength, Indiana has not gelled enough as a team to compete with the well-oiled machine of the New York Liberty.
The two-seeded Minnesota Lynx and the seven-seeded Washington Mystics are a first-round matchup of a well-experienced team and one of the most surprising young teams. The Mystics are playing good basketball right now and can compete minute to minute. Still, throughout a series, the Lynx experience would prevail over them to the next round and do so relatively quickly.
The Phoenix Mercury have been rolling right now, and as the three-seed against the Seattle Storm, the six-seeded Storm would be in for a battle. Seattle has the players to compete and win, but the Mercury are playing high-level basketball behind their youth and veterans. Even before Kahleah Copper returns, the Mercury can get to the Finals, and getting past the Storm would be the first step.
The series that could be the most competitive of the first round would be the four vs. five matchup of the Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces. Right now, both teams are playing high and can go about seven deep. This series will come down to the top-level talent, and the Aces have the edge there. This series will be long, but the Aces will pull it out.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | Semifinals
No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Las Vegas Aces
No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 3 Phoenix Mercury
In the second round of the playoffs, we have some heavy-hitting matchups. The first match involves the last three WNBA champions and the last five WNBA MVPs. The New York Liberty vs. the Las Vegas Aces would be a blockbuster matchup that would take all five games of the series. The Aces have the firepower to win this series, but the Liberty have better depth and can match the top-end talent of Las Vegas. The Liberty would win this series on their home floor in game five.
The Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury playing in the second round would be another series going the distance. The Mercury has immense top-end talent and players who have played in big games, but the Lynx also do. The key factor that sets the Lynx apart from Phoenix is that the Mercury are playing four rookies, quality minutes. In big moments, the veteran, more proven Minnesota Lynx would make the plays to advance against the Mercury.
WNBA Playoff Predictions | WNBA Finals
No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 2 Minnesota Lynx
As we gear up for the first-ever seven-game series in the WNBA Finals, the Lynx and the Liberty pose as the two teams ready to make history. The Minnesota Lynx keep finding ways to win games regardless of how sharp they look. The New York Liberty are playing the best basketball in the league, continuing last year’s championship season.
Though the Lynx know how to beat this team, have the best player in the series, and almost won a game five at the Barclays Center, the Liberty are playing too good of basketball to predict they will be beaten. Going into this series, the Liberty would have three of the four best players, and that would be enough to go back-to-back and win the WNBA Finals in seven games.
