WNBA Playoffs Kick Off: Who Are the Favorites?
The Minnesota Lynx enter the playoffs as the top contenders to win the championship. But, what could stand in the way of the number one team? Who are their biggest rivals? And which players will have the biggest impact when the four first-round series tip off on Sunday? Alofoke Deportes surveyed WNBA experts to answer these questions and analyze the main stories heading into the postseason. The Lynx were the most popular choice to win the title, and the experts unanimously voted for a final between Minnesota and the Las Vegas Aces, the number 2 seed, which could be an epic showdown between MVP candidates Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson.How far could the injury-riddled Indiana Fever go? How many first-round series will extend to the end with the three-game format, guaranteeing each team a home game? And, what do the experts think of the current WNBA champions, the New York Liberty, who are the number 5 seed and will not have home-court advantage in the playoffs?
Let’s see how the playoffs are expected to unfold.Why are the Lynx the favorites?
Minnesota has been the best team this season. What are the main reasons why the Lynx could (or could not) win the title?The Aces are the biggest reason the Lynx might not win a championship. I think Napheesa Collier is the MVP, but A’ja Wilson can reach a level that no other player can match and we are witnessing it right now. Many people thought the Aces wouldn’t win the title after their bad start to the season, but they found their chemistry at the right time. And that is the biggest threat between the Lynx and a championship.
Myron Medcalf
Size can still bother the Lynx. They are below average in defensive rebounding, ranking tenth in percentage terms, and playing with stronger substitute pivots (Jessica Shepard and Maria Kliundikova) eliminates some of the five-out spacing that makes Minnesota’s starting five so potent.
Kevin Pelton
The Lynx are a championship-caliber team. The biggest reason Minnesota won’t win is if the Aces play at their best. Las Vegas has the most dominant interior player in the league, plus three perimeter players capable of controlling the game. That inside-out synergy is difficult for any defense to handle, including the Lynx, in a series.
Andre Snellings
Collier has said the Lynx are better than last year, partly due to what they experienced in the 2024 playoffs, including the five-game Finals loss. They dominated this regular season and enter the postseason with the consistency and reliability that other teams lack. But incredibly dominant regular season teams can fade. (The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and the 2024-25 Cleveland Cavaliers come to mind in the NBA). Therefore, the Lynx need to capitalize on their regular season and guard against running out of energy in the final stretch.
Kendra Andrews
Six of the last eight WNBA champions were No. 1 seeds, including the 2020 bubble season that lacked the home-court advantage, and Minnesota has been by far the best team in the league this year. At full strength, Minnesota is the team to beat. But with Collier recovering from an ankle injury and DiJonai Carrington dealing with a shoulder issue (last played on September 1), the Lynx may not be such favorites.
Alexa Philippou
Who could dethrone the Lynx?
If the Lynx don’t win the title, which team will?The Liberty can be a championship team if New York can find some cohesion. As Michael Voepel detailed as part of our playoff preview, New York has been elite with the three stars on the court, and the addition of Emma Meesseman allows coach Sandy Brondello to employ better versions of the big lineups that helped the Liberty overcome Minnesota last October.
Kevin Pelton
Coach Becky Hammon’s decision to bench Jewell Loyd changes the Aces’ dynamic. The drop-off in talent is less significant when they turn to their reserves, who are now led by a player who averaged 24.7 points just two seasons ago. Combine that with Wilson and the momentum this team has built, and it’s easy to see why the Aces are in the championship conversation with the Lynx.
Myron Medcalf
The addition of NaLyssa Smith bolstered the Aces’ interior on both ends of the court, and Loyd has found her form coming off the bench. With Wilson reaffirming her status as the league’s best player, and Jackie Young playing at an All-WNBA level, the Aces are built for postseason success.
Andre Snellings
It seems that the Lynx, Aces or Liberty, in that order, will be crowned champions. That is not a lack of respect for the Dream or the Mercury, who have had fantastic seasons. But the players of the Lynx, Aces and Liberty have a lot of experience in the postseason playing together, which can make a big difference.
Alexa Philippou
The Aces’ confidence is intense after finishing the regular season with a 16-game winning streak, which they needed to secure the No. 2 seed. Therefore, they have been at their highest level for over a month. If they can maintain that, the momentum can carry them to a third title. And as my colleagues said, if it’s not the Lynx or the Aces, we’re likely looking at a repeat of the Liberty, who could be at their best in the postseason.
Michael Voepel
Which player could have the biggest impact in the postseason?
Jewell Loyd is a fascinating X-factor for Las Vegas. Loyd averaged more points in fewer minutes after moving to the bench, shooting 42% from the field and 40.5% from three-pointers compared to 36% and 35%, respectively, as a starter. If Loyd continues her recent shooting success, the Aces are likely to return to the Finals.
Kevin Pelton
Natisha Hiedeman has thrived coming off the bench for the Lynx, particularly in the late stages of the season. In the last six games of the regular season, she averaged 16.3 points and 4.2 assists in just 25.7 minutes. Playing alongside the other talented Lynx players has allowed her to face less defensive pressure and has helped her shine. With that momentum, she is well-positioned to be a key contributor this postseason.
Eric Moody
Collier’s defensive presence. To win a title, the Lynx will have to battle some elite forwards and centers. Offensive numbers generate headlines for Collier, but how she handles defensive matchups, and avoids foul trouble, will determine the Lynx’s fate.
Myron Medcalf
Historically, New York has reached a championship ceiling when it gets the best out of Jonquel Jones. She was Finals MVP when New York won last year, and the Liberty are 34-0 in regular season games when she records a double-double. Jones is a matchup challenge, in general, and will have the advantage inside against Phoenix in the first round and, if New York advances, against Minnesota in the semifinals. While the Liberty still rely significantly on Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, it’s hard to see them repeating without a dominant Jones.
Alexa Philippou
Watch out for the Aces’ point guard, Chelsea Gray, who was the Finals MVP in 2022. She was completely healthy this season after missing 13 games last season while recovering from a foot injury suffered in the 2023 WNBA Finals. Gray averaged 5.4 assists this season, but that rose to 7.8 in the last 10 games of the regular season. Gray has a history of being at her best in the most important games, so we’ll see if that’s the case in this year’s playoffs.
Michael Voepel
Playoff Predictions
Who wins each first-round series in a best-of-three format? (1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) Golden State Valkyries- Kendra Andrews: Lynx in 2
- Sean Hurd: Lynx in 2
- Myron Medcalf: Lynx in 2
- Eric Moody: Lynx in 2
- Neil Paine: Lynx in 2
- Kevin Pelton: Lynx in 2
- Alexa Philippou: Lynx in 2
- Andre Snellings: Lynx in 2
- Michael Voepel: Lynx in 2
- Andrews: Aces in 3
- Hurd: Aces in 3
- Medcalf: Aces in 2
- Moody: Aces in 3
- Paine: Aces in 2
- Pelton: Aces in 3
- Philippou: Aces in 3
- Snellings: Aces in 2
- Voepel: Aces in 2
- Andrews: Dream in 2
- Hurd: Dream in 2
- Medcalf: Dream in 2
- Moody: Dream in 2
- Paine: Dream in 2
- Pelton: Dream in 2
- Philippou: Dream in 2
- Snellings: Dream in 2
- Voepel: Dream in 3
- Andrews: Liberty in 3
- Hurd: Mercury in 3
- Medcalf: Liberty in 3
- Moody: Liberty in 3
- Paine: Liberty in 3
- Pelton: Liberty in 3
- Philippou: Liberty in 3
- Snellings: Liberty in 3
- Voepel: Liberty in 3
- Andrews: Lynx vs. Aces
- Hurd: Lynx vs. Aces
- Medcalf: Lynx vs. Aces
- Moody: Lynx vs. Aces
- Paine: Lynx vs. Aces
- Pelton: Lynx vs. Aces
- Philippou: Lynx vs. Aces
- Snellings: Lynx vs. Aces
- Voepel: Lynx vs. Aces
- Andrews: Lynx in 7
- Hurd: Lynx in 6
- Medcalf: Lynx in 7
- Moody: Aces in 7
- Paine: Lynx in 7
- Pelton: Lynx in 6
- Philippou: Lynx in 6
- Snellings: Aces in 6
- Voepel: Aces in 7
- Andrews: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Hurd: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Medcalf: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Moody: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Paine: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Pelton: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Philippou: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Snellings: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Voepel: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
