WNBA playoff predictions: Can anyone prevent Lynx-Aces Finals matchup?

The Minnesota Lynx participate the playoffs arsenic the favorites to win the championship. But what mightiness basal successful the mode of the No. 1 seed? Who are their biggest challengers? And which players volition person the astir interaction erstwhile each 4 first-round bid extremity disconnected Sunday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)?

ESPN surveyed WNBA experts to reply those questions and dissect the biggest storylines heading into the postseason. The Lynx were the astir fashionable prime to triumph the title, and the experts unanimously voted for a WNBA Finals matchup betwixt Minnesota and the No. 2 effect Las Vegas Aces -- which would acceptable up a perchance epic showdown betwixt MVP candidates Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson.

How acold mightiness the injury-riddled Indiana Fever go? How galore first-round bid volition spell the region with the format moving to a three-game series, guaranteeing each squad a location game?

And what bash the experts deliberation of the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty, who are the No. 5 effect and won't person home-court successful the playoffs?

Let's instrumentality a look astatine however we expect the playoffs to shingle out.

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MORE: Strengths, flaws for each team | Top 25 players | Schedule

Minnesota has been the champion squad this season. What are the biggest reasons the Lynx mightiness (or mightiness not) triumph the title?

Myron Medcalf: The Aces are the biggest reasons the Lynx mightiness not triumph a championship. I judge Napheesa Collier is the MVP, but A'ja Wilson tin scope a level that nary different subordinate tin lucifer and we're witnessing that now. A batch of radical thought the Aces wouldn't triumph the rubric aft their unsmooth commencement to the season, but they've recovered their chemistry astatine the close time. And that's the top menace lasting betwixt the Lynx and a championship.

Kevin Pelton: Size tin inactive marque the Lynx uncomfortable. They're beneath mean connected the antiaircraft glass, ranking 10th connected a percent basis, and playing stronger backup posts Jessica Shepard and Maria Kliundikova takes distant immoderate of the five-out spacing that makes Minnesota's starting 5 truthful potent.

Andre Snellings: The Lynx are a championship-level team. The biggest crushed Minnesota won't triumph is if the Aces are playing astatine their apical level. Las Vegas has the league's astir ascendant interior subordinate successful summation to 3 perimeter players susceptible of controlling the game. That inside-out synergy is pugnacious for immoderate defense, including the Lynx, to grip successful a series.

Kendra Andrews: Collier has said the Lynx are amended than they were a twelvemonth ago, successful portion due to the fact that of what they experienced successful the 2024 playoffs, including losing successful 5 games successful the Finals. They dominated this regular season, and caput into the postseason with consistency and reliability that the different teams lack. But incredibly ascendant regular-season teams tin fizzle out. (The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and 2024-25 Cleveland Cavaliers travel to caput successful the NBA.) So, the Lynx request to capitalize connected their regular-season tally and defender against moving retired of steam down the stretch.

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