The WNBA playoffs are just around the corner. This is the time when we see teams go on a winning or losing streak because every game is crucial.
Top Four
There are three teams trying to secure home court advantage as the New York Liberty have already secured their playoff spot. Those three other teams are:
Minnesota Lynx
Connecticut Sun
Seattle Storm
There will be a bloodbath between these three other teams. The Seattle Storm just signed Gabby Williams, who is an offensive threat. With Williams pairing with Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike, and Skylar Diggins-Smith, the Storm are the definition of a “superteam.”
The Connecticut Sun are fighting to stay among the top four teams. After signing Marina Mabrey before the Olympic break, the Sun see this as a great opportunity to build out their static offense. The Sun have only lost one game in the second half of the season, but still rely heavily on their defense. With the addition of Marina Mabrey, the Sun’s offense looks a little better, but against a team like the Lynx or Liberty, it might be a little harder for the Sun to keep up.
That leaves the red-hot Minnesota Lynx. Napheesa Collier has done everything humanly possible to help the Lynx win games, and right now Minnesota looks like the second-best team in the league. The Lynx have what it takes to win the championship, and they will definitely have home-court advantage unless they collapse horribly. This is a team that will make excellent three-point shots every game, but will also shut down an explosive offense like Las Vegas. Minnesota is just so good that the anticipation is really on the championship game now.
Middle of the pack
Three teams are fighting hard for a good placement:
Las Vegas Aces
Phoenix Mercury
Indiana fever
It may be surprising that the Las Vegas Aces are in this position, but after 3-0 losses to the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, the Aces may not finish as a top four team. The Aces’ biggest problem is their defense, as they absolutely struggled against the best offenses like the Liberty and Lynx. The biggest problem is that everyone knows, including head coach Becky Hammon, that the defense has issues. It’s just a matter of wanting more, as A’ja Wilson put it.
As for Indiana, the Fever are red hot after the Olympic break. After a slow start to the season, the Fever are definitely a surprise team in the playoffs. The Indiana Fever have a lot of challenges to face in the second half of the season, and given the play of their “big three” Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever are destined to make the playoffs. However, this team can also be a spoiler, and expectations may be heading into the second round.
Then there’s Phoenix. The Mercury are truly a middle of the pack team in that they can beat the teams they’re supposed to beat, but they’re also a top-four team. The problem is that while they can beat those teams, they’ve also lost to those two types of teams. The Mercury are a good enough team to make the playoffs, as DeWanna Bonner is their biggest playmaker, but as far as advancing, don’t have such high expectations.
Last-minute push
The Chicago Sky will be the main team to watch in the playoffs. Right now, the Sky have done themselves no favors with a 1-3 record since the Olympic break. They are currently one game ahead of the Atlanta Dream, and the Dream are also looking to fight for that final playoff spot. The Dream pulled off some big upset wins over the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun, showing they are here to fight with the Sky for eighth place. The Chicago Sky need to step up, and after a big signing before the Olympic break, the Sky are trying to find their offensive identity.
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