Betting On The First Round Of The WNBA Playoffs

WNBA Playoff Predictions

The WNBA Season is officially over and we have the final eight teams that are now in the playoffs and looking to battle it out for the ultimate prize: A WNBA Championship. This has been a very nice season for us even though I have a losing record since the return to action after the Olympic break. I think we have some good opportunities here for the playoffs, so I'll break down the four series quickly and share any bets that I have on these.

Dream vs. Liberty

The Liberty were the best team in the WNBA this season and it really wasn't all that close in my opinion. They have Breanna Stewart, the second-best player in basketball, playing very well and looking to capture the championship after losing last season to the Aces. Jonquel Jones looks like she is a great second or third option for the team, and is playing some of her best basketball as of let. Then you have Sabrina Ionescu, who can do a bit of everything on the floor, including spacing, running the offense, and being deadly from behind the arc. Let me explain one other thing, the Dream are in the playoffs, but they are 15-25. They ended the season 8-8 after the break, but other teams played so poorly the Dream were able to make it into the playoffs. The Liberty will win the series and it will likely be 2-0. No value on this series, unfortunately.

Lynx vs. Mercury

This actually could be a really entertaining series. The Lynx have been a surprisingly dominant team this season, winning the Commissioner's Cup during the course of the year.  The Lynx have four players averaging double-digit scoring, and another one who has 9.6 points per game. They play good defense, rotate well, and can guard all five positions with effective matchups. There are few holes on this team. The Mercury are a good squad as well. Diana Taurasi is on, what is likely, her retirement tour. Kahleah Copper is one of the best players in the league - a true scorer and I think the best finisher in the league. Brittney Griner has returned to form and will be a difficult player to stop. Natasha Cloud runs the offense effectively and Sophie Cunningham is one of more underrated guards in the league. I think the Mercury can steal at least one game and I will take a flier on the Lynx winning the series 2-1 at +370.

Jul 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes (41), center A'ja Wilson (22), guard Kelsey Plum (10) and guard Chelsea Gray (12) react against the LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Storm vs. Aces

The Aces are the reigning champions and they have the best player in the world with A'ja Wilson. They have Kelsey Plum an Olympian, and Jackie Young, another Olympian. They also have Chelsea Gray another Olympian. I'm trying to say - this team is stacked, but their season was a disappointment. For the year, the Aces are just 27-13, putting them as the 4th best team in the league. They will still be the hardest team to beat in the league because they have been there and they have great players. The Storm have good players as well, and won't go down without a fight. Jewel Lloyd is also an Olympian for the Storm and she is a very good scoring guard. Skylar Diggins-Smith is one of the better point guards in the league too. The biggest question is what will they do about Wilson? Ezi Magbegor is good, but not Wilson's level. Vegas took three of four games against the Storm this year and I don't think they will lose this series. Aces are -150 to win the series 2-0, which I don't love, but it would be the only way to play the series in my opinion.

Sun vs. Fever

I'm sure everyone will hear a lot about this series. The Sun are one of the best teams in the league, and started their season with nine straight wins. They have 12 losses, but every loss came against a playoff team. They have a good backcourt and the trade for Marina Mabrey has certainly worked out for them. On the other side is the Fever, a team that had the #1 pick in the draft last year, took Caitlin Clark and is now in the playoffs. I'd say it worked out for them. The Fever had a very tough start to the season, but have looked good lately. Clark has played in big games before, so I'm not worried about her, but I do think the Sun are the better team. They are -180 to beat the Fever, and I'd be surprised to see this series go three games. I think the best way to play this one is to couple the Aces and Suns to win their series as a parlay at even money.

Bets:

Lynx to win series 2-1 +370

Sun/Aces win series parlay +100

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