After an offseason that was overshadowed by back-and-forth negotiations between the WNBA and its players, we’re finally getting back to basketball.
Two new franchises have been added to the league, record-setting contracts have been doled out, free agents have been signed, and draft picks have been made. All that’s left to do is roll out the ball and play ball.
The season tips off Friday night, and if the recent trend from the past three years holds, this should be another record-breaking season for the W.
Among all the exciting storylines across the league, the Liberty and Aces remain the big topics when it comes to championship equity.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Liberty | +230 |
| Aces | +440 |
| Fever | +500 |
| Dream | +550 |
| Lynx | 10/1 |
| Sparks | 18/1 |
| Mercury | 19/1 |
| Wings | 27/1 |
| Valkyries | 30/1 |
| Sky | 55/1 |
| Mystics | 80/1 |
| Tempo | 100/1 |
| Storm | 150/1 |
| Sun | 500/1 |
| Fire | 500/1 |
The Aces have won three of the past four championships, with the Liberty’s title right in the middle of their dynasty. But oddsmakers have the Liberty pegged as +230 favorites to win it all and create a little dynasty chatter of their own.
The Liberty maintained their championship core of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, then added Satou Sabally in the offseason.
There will be some adjustments, though.
The Liberty replaced head coach Sandy Brondello with former Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco, which means we’ll likely see a new offense from New York. Plus, adding a new player to an established team will be an adjustment, no matter how talented.
That said, few teams have as much top-tier talent and experience as the Liberty.
The Aces are firmly in that discussion after battling through the playoffs and pulling off an impressive sweep in the WNBA Finals on the back of A’ja Wilson’s historic performance, averaging 28.5 points in the Finals. The reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year is unquestionably the best player of her generation and looks to have plenty left in the tank for another run.
It helps that the Aces also have their core returning — Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Jewell Lloyd — and a talented player in Chennedy Carter to an already loaded team.
The Fever will have the attention of many fans thanks to Caitlin Clark, who was injured for most of last season. Indiana was a win away from knocking off the Aces in the playoffs without its polarizing star, and the spotlight will be bright on the Fever now that the expectations have risen.
The Dream made one of the biggest splashes by adding Angel Reese in the offseason to replace Brittney Griner. With a scoring duo of Rhyne Howard and Alisha Gray, the Dream are a team that could be poised to make a big leap if things go right.
As talented as the league is right now, the Aces still have the inside track to another title. A slow start last season couldn’t derail them once it got down to winning time.
They still have the best player in the league and the fewest questions to answer of any team at the start of the season. Getting them at +440 odds feels like a steal.
The Pick: Aces to win WNBA title (+440, FanDuel)
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。