The Wnba Play-offs start on September 14 and 8 of the 13 teams of the competition will be confronted in a best-of-three series.
From this year the first round games will be played in a home-road-home format, which means that the lower team is guaranteed to receive at least one match for their home crowd.
We are still about six weeks from the end of the regular season of the WNBA, but here is who will leave if the play -offs would start today.
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 Washington Mystics
With a record of 21-4, the Lynx was the most consistent team of the WNBA. Napheesa Collier seems to be a clear leader for MVP, and the three All-Stars of Minnesota-Collier, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams-Echtenen motivated to bounce back from last year’s final.
The mystics have exceeded expectations, largely because of the game of their two rookies, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Both players were called All-Stars, just like Brittney Sykes, who has a career season at the age of 31. Washington would be a serious underdog in this series, but the fact that they are in the Playoff race to start with is something to celebrate.
No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 7 Las Vegas Aces
The last two WNBA champions would be confronted in a series in the first round if the play-offs would start today. The Liberty (16-6) slipped a bit when Jonquel Jones went out with an ankle injury, but they have now won four consecutive games and have added the Belgian star Emma Meeseman to the mix.
In the meantime, the Azen Underwhelming has been on 12-12, and Jewell Loyd has been a downgrade for Kelsey -plum. Nevertheless, Las Vegas has triple MVP A’ja Wilson and a championship core next to Wilson with Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. This would be a first round series littered with stars.
No. 3 Phoenix Mercury versus No. 6 Indiana Fever
The Mercury (15-8) have quietly been one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA. Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have led the lead, but Kahleah Copper is also back in the mix, after returning the knee operation for the season. Dewanna Bonner, who came to the Mercury earlier this month, has been excellent in her four games, with an average of 14.5 points at 51.4% shooting.
In the meantime, the fever (13-12) has had a frustrating season, headed by the injury struggles of Ster Second guard Caitlin Clark. Clark has had to deal with calf and groin injuries and has appeared in just 13 games this season. Assuming she is back from her groin injury due to the late season, the fever is a wildcard team to make a play-off push, largely thanks to consistent play by colleague All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
This first round series would also be a chance for Bonner to see the team with which she started the year.
No. 4 Seattle Storm vs. No. 5 Atlanta Dream
The storm (15-10) and Dream (14-10) would record it if the WNBA play-offs started today. The dream has only won 4 of their last 10 games and falls after starting the year, while the Storm 6 has won 10 to hold fourth place.
The strong game of Seattle can largely be attributed to his all-star trio of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike, where Williams deserves her first all-star selection in the midst of a career season, in particular in the defensive end.
On the dream side, Allisha Gray has an MVP-Calibal season, Rhyne Howard has earned her first All-Star selection, and the additions of Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner have increased the dream of a play-off team from a frills to a candidate. This would probably be one of the most competitive first round series of the competition.
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