The WNBA qualifiers should start on September 14 and 8 of the 13 League teams will compete in a series of three best.
From this year, the first round matches will be played in a home format, which means that the lower seeded team is guaranteed to obtain at least one match in front of their medal.
We are still about six weeks before the end of the regular WNBA season, but here will compete if the playoffs were to start today.
N ° 1 minnesota lynx against n ° 8 Washington Mystics
With a file of 21-4, the lynx was the most coherent team in the WNBA. Napheesa Collier seems to be a clear precursor for MVP, and the three All -Stars of Minnesota – Necklace, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams – seem motivated to bounce back from the defeat of last year’s final.
The mystics have exceeded expectations, largely due to the game of their two recruits, Sonia Lemon and Kiki Iriafen. The two players were named All-Stars, as is Brittney Sykes, who has a career season at 31 years old. Washington would be a serious outsider in this series, but the fact that they are in the playoff race to start is something to celebrate.
N ° 2 New York Liberty vs n ° 7 las vegas aces
The last two WNBA champions would compete in a first -round series if the playoffs were to start today. The Liberty (16-6) slipped a little when Jonquel Jones was released with an ankle injury, but they have now won four consecutive games and added the Belgian star Emma Meeseman to the mixture.
Meanwhile, the ASs were disappointing at 12-12, and Jewell Loyd was a demotion of Kelsey Plum. However, Las Vegas has the quarter MVP a’ja Wilson and a championship core alongside Wilson titled by Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. It would be a series in the first starry round.
N ° 3 Phoenix Mercury vs n ° 6 Indiana fever
The Mercury (15-8) was quietly one of the most dominant teams of the WNBA. Sutou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas led the charge, but Kahleah Copper is also back in the mixture, after returning from the pre-season knee surgery. Dewanna Bonner, who joined Mercury earlier this month, was excellent in her four games, with an average of 14.5 points out of 51.4% shooting.
Meanwhile, the fever (13-12) had a frustrating season, titled by the difficulties of injuries of the second year Caitlin Clark. Clark treated with calf and groin injuries and appeared in just 13 games this season. Assuming that she is back from her injury to the groin in the playoff series, the fever is a joker team to make a draft, largely thanks to the coherent game of her colleagues All-Stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
This series in the first round would also be an opportunity to Bonne to face the team with which it started the year.
N ° 4 Seattle Storm vs n ° 5 Atlanta Dream
The storm (15-10) and the dream (14-10) would compete if the WNBA qualifiers were starting today. The dream has only won 4 of their last 10 games and is declining after starting the hot year, while the storm won 6 out of 10 to keep fourth place.
Seattle’s solid game can be widely attributed to its All-Star trio of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike, with Williams winning his first selection of stars in the middle of a career season, especially on the defensive.
On the dream side, Allisha Gray has an MVP caliber season, Rhyne Howard has earned her first selection of stars, and the additions of Bonna Jones and Brittney Griner raised the dream of a team of eliminatory series to a competitor. It would probably be one of the most competitive first round series in the league.
