With the Paris Olympics concluded, the WNBA season is back in full swing after nearly a month-long break. With the lengthy break, some teams are likely to struggle like the Chicago Sky did Thursday night against the Phoenix Mercury who had three Team USA members on the team. Teams with Team USA members will likely have an advantage as their best players played high-level basketball throughout the break. A few teams have a great opportunity to go on a winning streak after the Olympic break due to their star power and favorable schedules in the final stretch of the season.
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm has been one of the best stories in the WNBA this season, after finishing with the second-worst record in the league last season they currently have the 4th best record. Expect Seattle's leading scorer Jewell Lloyd to pick up right where she left off after winning her second gold medal in Paris. The Storm also have newcomers in nine-time All-Star, former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike, and six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith who have been major contributors this season. A major reason why I expect the Storm to continue their success is due to their favorable schedule in August. Seattle entered Olympic Break as winners of three straight and had won eight of their last ten games.Five of their six games in August are against teams with a win percentage below .500, as they have a rematch against the Liberty to close out the month. If Seattle can continue their streak they have a great chance of catching up to some higher-seeded teams as they are just 5.5 games behind the Liberty who have the league's best record.
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty appear to be playing with an extra level of urgency this season after coming up short in the WNBA Finals last year. New York is led by the reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and three-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu who appear poised to win more than just a gold medal this season. At 23-4, they are the most consistently dominant team in the league and continue to look impressive post-Olympic break. Arguably their most impressive win of the season came on Saturday in their second matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. Despite the brilliant play of A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray back after missing the previous matchup, the Liberty still came up with a huge double-digit win on the road. With seven of their final 13 games against non-playoff teams, the Liberty have a great chance of securing the best record in the WNBA. With their high level of play, impressive talent, and experience, they are clear favorites to reach the WNBA Finals once again.
Comentários