WNBA Playoffs 2024: Standings, matchups, predictions as play resumes after Olympics

The WNBA playoffs are set to start in simply over a month, on September twenty second, and whereas there’s loads of common season basketball left to be performed, if the postseason began at the moment, we’d be in retailer for some fairly thrilling first-round matchups.

Listed below are the midseason WNBA standings:

1. New York Liberty (21-4)
2. Connecticut Solar (18-6)
3. Minnesota Lynx (17-8)
4. Seattle Storm (17-8)
5. Las Vegas Aces (16-8)
6. Phoenix Mercury (13-12)
7. Indiana Fever (11-15)
8. Chicago Sky (10-14)
9. Atlanta Dream (7-17)
10. Los Angeles Sparks (6-18)
11. Washington Mystics (6-19)
12. Dallas Wings (6-19)

The highest 8 groups within the league will safe a playoff berth, that means that in the mean time, the Dream, Sparks, Mystics, and Wings are all out of the playoff image. That would change if ny of these groups get scorching, however the Fever and Sky have a little bit of a cushion for the #7 and #8 seeds.

The primary spherical is a best-of-three collection wherein the staff with the higher document will host the primary two video games, and subsequently hit the highway for a 3rd sport, within the occasion that the primary two video games had been cut up.

If the playoffs began at the moment, right here’s who we’d see face off within the first spherical:

#1 Liberty vs #8 Sky

Photograph by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

Gamers to observe: Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (Liberty), Angel Reese (Sky), Chennedy Carter (Sky), Kamilla Cardoso (Sky)
Sequence Prediction: The Liberty win the collection in two video games, however each video games go all the way down to the wire.

The New York Liberty has been probably the most constant staff within the league all season, anchored by two-time MVP Breanna Stewart, one-time MVP Jonquel Jones, and rising star Sabrina Ionescu. They’re at the moment the favourite to win the 2024 WNBA championship, and shouldn’t have any subject getting out of the primary spherical. Final 12 months, the Liberty misplaced to the Aces within the Finals, however this 12 months, they’ve extra expertise underneath their belt and have appeared much more related.

In the meantime, the Sky are in a rebuilding 12 months, and so they lately traded away their second-leading, in Marina Mabrey. That transfer, which helped Chicago recoup some draft capital, signaled the franchise is prioritizing the longer term over the current. Nonetheless, the Sky have sufficient elite opponents on the roster to make any collection a difficult one. Angel Reese is having a stellar rookie season, whereas Chennedy Carter may simply be probably the most underrated star within the league. When Carter will get scorching, she’s one of many hardest scorers to cease, and he or she powered the Sky to a win over Aces of their final sport earlier than the midseason break. Nonetheless, merely from a depth and expertise standpoint, will probably be arduous for Chicago to stack up in opposition to New York in a collection, and to seek out a solution for the Stewart / Jones frontcourt.

#2 Solar vs #7 Fever

Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos

Gamers to observe: Alyssa Thomas (Solar), DeWanna Bonner (Solar), Brionna Jones (Solar), Caitlin Clark (Fever), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Kelsey Mitchell (Fever)
Sequence Prediction: The Solar handily defeat the Fever in two video games.

Caitlin Clark’s WNBA profession started in opposition to Connecticut, and if the postseason began at the moment, her playoff profession would, too.

This can be a powerful matchup for Indiana. First, there are few gamers within the league who can guard elite scorers like Clark in addition to DiJonai Carrington can. The Fever additionally don’t have have an excellent reply for somebody as powerful and bodily as Alyssa Thomas. The Solar are 3-0 in opposition to the Fever to this point this 12 months, with two of the wins being massive blowouts, and one coming all the way down to the wire.

This Connecticut staff is a veteran group determined to win a championship now. The Solar had three All-Stars this season — with Carrington serving as a possible fourth — after they traded for Marina Mabrey earlier than the break. Mabrey will present them with spacing and will function an offensive raise. The Fever are much-improved from their sluggish begin, however will probably be arduous for a staff with such a younger core to battle with a defensive-minded group as skilled because the Solar.

#3 Lynx vs #6 Mercury

Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Photos

Gamers to observe: Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Alanna Smith (Lynx), Diana Taurasi (Mercury), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Brittney Griner (Mercury)
Sequence Prediction: The Lynx win in three video games.

Minnesota’s been one of many shock groups of the 2024 season. Napheesa Collier has solidified herself as the most effective two-way gamers within the sport and as an MVP candidate, and together with her wholesome, they’ve been constantly been one of many high groups within the league. The Lynx misplaced a step when Collier was out with a foot damage for a couple of video games previous to the break, however she seemed wholesome sufficient throughout her Olympic tenure and ought to be able to go. Kayla McBride has additionally been central to the Lynx’s success, capturing 42.7% from past the arc.

In the meantime, the Mercury has largely been a .500 staff this 12 months. They should enhance their consistency with a view to change into actual championship contenders, and the Phoenix stars should keep wholesome. Phoenix is 9-5 with Brittney Griner obtainable, and any lineup together with her, Kahleah Copper and Diana Taurasi is a formidable one.

Nonetheless, the Lynx have been the much more constant staff to this point this season, and their stifling protection alone is motive to consider of their playoff potential.

#4 Storm vs #5 Aces

Photograph by Steph Chambers/Getty Photos

Gamers to observe: A’ja Wilson (Aces), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Jackie Younger (Aces), Chelsea Grey (Aces), Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm), Jewell Loyd (Storm), Nneka Ogwumike (Storm), Ezi Magbegor (Storm)
Sequence Prediction: The Aces win in three video games.

A primary spherical collection between the Storm and the Aces might find yourself being probably the most aggressive one within the subject. As the 2 time defending champions, the Aces are extra daunting than your common #5 seed, and after a sluggish begin, they’ve gained 10 of their final 12 video games. With Chelsea Grey again within the lineup, they very effectively might find yourself being increased within the standings come playoff time.

Nonetheless, these Aces haven’t been almost as dominant as final 12 months’s staff, and so they’ll be examined by a proficient Storm roster that features an elite guard in Skylar Diggins-Smith, one of many high defenders within the league in Ezi Magbegor, and two nice scorers in Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike. To offer Seattle an actual likelihood to defeat Las Vegas, Loyd will possible have to enhance her effectivity, because the Paris Olympian is at the moment capturing simply 36.2% from the sector.

It’s arduous to wager in opposition to the Aces contemplating they’ve the very best participant on the earth in A’ja Wilson, and on condition that they’ve confirmed they’ll win on the highest stage. However, at their greatest, the Seattle Storm is as star-studded a staff as any, and will give the Aces a run for his or her cash.