Our WNBA Playoff predictions are now live with a look at the eight teams we project to make the postseason. Will Caitlin Clark lead her Indiana Fever to the playoffs? Will the Las Vegas Aces three-peat as champs after going back-to-back?
The WNBA is growing in popularity. The on-court product continues to improve. Expansion is the name of the game, too. With all of that as a backdrop, let’s look our our initial WNBA Playoff predictions for 2024.
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WNBA Playoff predictions: Seeding 1-8
8. Indiana Fever
Rookie No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark is teaming up with Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell in Indiana, forming one of the better young trios in the WNBA. Mitchell was the team’s leading scorer last season at 18.2 points per game. It enabled the guard from Ohio State to earn her first ever All-Star appearance.
The biggest key for Indiana this season outside of Clark is Boston’s ability to progress. The No. 1 pick back in 2023, Boston averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds as a rookie. She certainly has some pressure on her right now.
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7. Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota finished last season with a 19-21 record, losing to the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs. Napheesa Collier did her thing big time, averaging 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 49% shooting from the field. Though, she’s going to need more help if Minnesota is to improve in 2024.
Rookie No. 8 pick Alissa Pili should help big time. We’re also intrigued to see how Alanna Smith performs after making her way from the Chicago Sky. The former Stanford star finished No. 3 in the Most Improved Player voting a season ago. Her ability in the low-post could be a difference-maker.
6. Phoenix Mercury
Brittney Griner returned to the Mercury last season after missing the entire 2022 campaign. Our WNBA Playoff now take into account the big missing several weeks due to injury. Despite this, the top-heavy roster should be able to contend for a spot.
Outside of Griner, there are ample reasons for this. The Mercury added Rebecca Allen, Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Cooper to the rotation this past offseason. Of them, we’re highly intrigued to see how Cloud looks with Griner. She averaged a career-best 12.7 points to go with 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists for the Washington Mystics a season ago.
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5. Dallas Wings
Satou Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale are what makes the Wings go. In fact, this team gave the Las Vegas Aces some major problems during the 2023 regular season. We’re talking about a potentially elite inside-out game.
Ogunbowale averaged 20.2 points last season. She just needs to be more effective (40% shooting, 35% three-point). If that happens, Dallas could very well surprise people.
4. Seattle Storm
Our WNBA Playoff predictions has Seattle being among the most-improved teams in the league. Adding six-time All-Star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith to the mix is going to help big time. She returns to the Pacific Northwest after spending the past three seasons with the Mercury.
Seattle also drafted defensive ace Nika Mühl in the second round of the annual event. The hope is that she can act the part of a stopper when it comes to going up against the likes of Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces. Either way, look for this team to be much more competitive against top-end competition moving forward.
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3. Connecticut Sun
Connecticut was spectacular last season, finishing with a 27-13 record. Unfortuantely, it could not get past the New York Liberty in the semifinals. That series saw the Sun lose three games to one.
The good news? These Sun return leading scorer DeWanne Bonner (17.4 PPG) along with co-star Brionna Jones (15.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG). Former No. 4 pick Alyssa Thomas also returns after averaging a career high 15.5 points to go with 9.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists a season ago. This trio will make the Sun a threat, as evidenced in our WNBA Playoff predictions.
2. New York Liberty
Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart and the Liberty are pretty much running it back after losing to the Aces in the WNBA Finals last season. Stewart is obviously the biggest cog for New York. She averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 47% shooting in her first season with NY.
Our WNBA Playoff predictions are largely based on Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones doing their thing. The question here is whether they have enough after the big four to compete with Vegas.
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1. Las Vegas Aces
Candace Parker’s decision to retire really shouldn’t have a major impact on the two-time defending WNBA champions. She barely played in her first season with the team. In reality, the Aces are set up extremely well to three-peat.
A’Ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray are all running it back after leading Vegas to an absurd 34-6 record a season ago. Our 2024 WNBA Playoff predictions have Vegas finishing with the best regular-season record again.
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WNBA Playoff predictions: Quarterfinals
1) Las Vegas Aces over 8) Indiana Fever (2-0)
4) Seattle Storm over 5) Dallas Wings (2-1)
3) Connecticut Sun over 6) Phoenix Mercury (2-1)
2) New York Liberty over 7) Minnesota Lynx (2-0)
WNBA Playoff predictions: Semifinals
1) Las Vegas Aces over 4) Seattle Storm (3-1)
2) New York Liberty over 3) Connecticut Sun (3-2)
WNBA Finals predictions
1) Las Vegas Aces over 2) New York Liberty (3-1)