Who had all four first-round series of this year’s WNBA playoffs concluding in sweeps?
We definitely did not – but that is why the games are played on basketball courts instead of on paper (or on word documents).
Anyway, we have our four teams remaining with the 2024 WNBA championship on the line. Those four remaining are the New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun.
It is fitting that we are seeing this year’s season come down to these four teams as these four have been, from start to finish, the best four assemblings in the entire WNBA. Meaning whoever is crowned champion will have certainly earned every bit of it.
Here is our preview of this year’s semifinal contests.
New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces
Ahh…the “superteams” meet again. Many fans would have preferred it if we had a Finals rematch between New York and Las Vegas, but the Aces finishing the regular season as the four seed somewhat messed up those plans.
The Liberty have been – from start to finish – the team to beat in this year’s WNBA. New York has only dropped six games all season. None of those six were against the Aces.
The first meeting between these two teams occurred on June 15 at Michelob Ultra Arena with the Liberty claiming a 90-82 victory over the Aces. Following the Olympic break, last season’s two Finals combatants did battle again and that also resulted in a Lib win. The score was 79-67 – once again in Sin City.
The third and final regular season contest between the Aces and Liberty occurred at the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush. The final score was a bit closer than the first two matchups, but still resulted in a New York win with the final score being 75-71.
The regular season results may give many Lib Loyals confidence that Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Jonquel Jones, Leonie Fiebich and company will get over that Aces hurdle from last season. What may also give them confidence is that if there is a Game 5, it will be in Barclays Center instead of at Las Vegas.
But this is not the same Aces team from earlier in the season. This team is in full strength with a Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson in playoff mode.
This series between Sandy Brondello’s Liberty and Becky Hammon’s Aces should be a classic – it should go the full five games.
Minnesota Lynx vs. Connecticut Sun
A team with a history of winning championship vs. a team still in search of that first experience of championship euphoria.
Most of us knew going into this season that Stephanie White’s Connecticut Sun would once again emerge as contenders. When one has DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas and a healthy Brionna Jones, that team can defeat any adversary. Making a mid-season trade with the Chicago Sky for Marina Mabrey also helps. Featuring one of the best defenses in the W with DiJonai Carrington as one of its anchors helps wonders as well.
Most of us were bearish on Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx entering 2024 especially given the atrocious start the team had to 2023. Instead the Lynx have seemingly turned back the clock to their championship-winning days of the 2010s.
Even though Wilson won MVP there is a reason why Napheesa Collier’s name was in that category. She just dropped 42 points in Game 2 of the Lynx’s first-round series to dispatch of the Phoenix Mercury (and possibly send Diana Taurasi into retirement).
Phee is not the only reason why the Lynx have returned to their winning ways. The sharpshooting of Kayla McBride is another reason. Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith and Myisha Hines-Allen have also been key factors in Minnesota’s resurgence.
Back in late May at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Lynx and Sun did battle in what was one of the games of the year in the early going. It resulted in an 83-82 decision in favor of Connecticut. The Sun also won the second of the two contests between these two teams as the scene shifted to Target Center. The day? July 4. The result – a 78-73 Connecticut victory.
The Lynx’s and Sun’s third get-together would be back in New England during a period where Minnesota was playing its best basketball – as it still is today. It was another close contest – but one where the Lynx earned its first win over the Sun this year with the final tally being 78-76.
This series also will be fun to watch – and it has the potential to either go four or the full five games.
