The 2018 WNBA season gets underway on Friday night when the Dallas Wings take on the Phoenix Mercury. There are hopes around the league, but the truth is that the women’s league is very much in the same boat as their male counterpart. Just as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have competed for the NBA title the last three seasons, the WNBA is expected to see a return of last year’s finalists, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Minnesota Lynx.
Like they say in sports, what’s true on paper before the season begins is not always true at the end. The New York Liberty and the Washington Mystics are ready to take the next step and finally be considered a title contender, while the Phoenix Mercury have come close of reaching the WNBA Finals over the last two seasons. However, let us check our top 5 contenders for the title and see what the odds suggest, as BetDSI Sportsbook is offering the latest odds on the winners.
Minnesota Lynx (+125) – the Lynx are the returning champs, and with good reason. This Minnesota team is loaded and will now have another year to be even closer and more in sync with one another. That is not good news for the other WNBA teams. The league’s MVP from last season, Sylvia Fowles, and its best players, Maya Moore, both play for Minnesota and they have become the Kevin Durant-Steph Curry combination of the WNBA.
The Lynx finished last season 27-7 and the over/under for them in wins this season is 25.5. While 27 wins is an impressive number, a nearly .800 winning percentage, this team is capable of a repeat performance, so I would suggest considering a bet on the over.
Key additions: Danielle Robinson (and 2019 2nd round pick via trade with Phoenix), Tanisha Wright (free agency), Lynetta Kizer (free agency), head coach Cheryl Reeve, re-signed Rebekkah Brunson and Cecilia Zandalasini.
Key departures: Natasha Howard (Seattle), Jia Perkins (retired), Plenette Pierson (retired), Renee Montgomery (Atlanta)
Los Angeles Sparks (+160) –The Sparks took the Lynx to Game 5 of the WNBA finals last season before falling by nine. It was a heart-breaking loss, but this team has the character and talent to make another run for the league title. Candace Parker finished third in last year’s MVP vote and seemingly continues to get better each season. Her partner, Nneka Ogwamike, is an outstanding talent as well, who was fourth in the MVP voting.
Los Angeles finished 26-8 last year, posting the WNBA’s second best record. The over/under is 24.5 and they have a real good shot of topping that number, maybe even earning the league’s best record.
Key additions: re-signed Alana Beard, re-signed Odyssey Sims, Cappie Pondexter (free agency), Ana Dabovic (free agency), Karlie Samuelson (free agency), Jolene Anderson (free agency), Mistie Bass (free agency), Maria Vadeeva (2018 draft), Shakayla Thomas (2018 draft).
Key departures: N/A
New York Liberty (+1200) –New York lost in the second round to the Washington Mystics last season, and looks to rebound from a disappointing playoff performance. This team finished 22-12 last year, the third best record, but did not deliver in the post-season as expected.
Tina Charles is a real talent, finishing second in the MVP balloting in 2018, but she must get some help if this team is going to reach the finals. The East is stacked, so that challenge may be a daunting one.
Over/Under – 22.5 wins. The New York Liberty will enter the new season under new head coach but a very familiar face, Katie Smith, who spent the last couple of season as an assistant to Bill Laimbeer. Smith will be under a lot of pressure of taking the team to the next level, but this team will return the majority of the team from last season, so I am expecting them to be above the 20s when it comes to total wins.
Key additions: Marissa Coleman (free agency), Rashada Gray (free agency), Kelly Faris (free agency), Shay Murphy (free agency), Kia Nurse (2018 draft), Mercedes Russell (2018 draft), re-signed Tina Charles, Kia Vaughn, Bria Hartley, Lindsay Allen, Rebecca Allen.
Key departures: N/A
Connecticut Sun (+2500) –Connecticut lost in the second round to the Phoenix Mercury last season. Connecticut has a star of their own in Jonquel Jones, who finished fifth in last year’s MVP balloting. She is another talent in look of a partner who can carry some of the burden of trying to take the team to the highest level of the sport. Asides from returning their young core back, the Sun will get significant help from their all-star caliber Ogwumike Chiney, who missed the last season with a torn Achilles injury.
Connecticut finished 21-13 last season, the fourth best record in the WNBA, but that did not translate to a deeper run. This team has talent, just not up to the same level as Minnesota.
Over/Under – 21.5. The Sun will enter the new season with high hopes, knowing that their two-time all-star Chiney is ready to play. In addition, they have added two very talented young players Lexie Brown and Leticia Romero via draft, both of which seem to be ready to make an immediate impact on the play of this Connecticut team.
Key additions: Lexie Brown (2018 draft – no.9), Cayla George (Phoenix), Leticia Romero, Betnijah Laney (free agency), Jessica January (free agency), re-signed Alyssa Thomas, Shekinna Stricklen, head coach Curt Muller.
Key departures: N/A
Washington Mystics (+1200) – rounding out the top five is a team that was a bit of a surprise come playoff time. The Washington Mystics made it to the conference semi-finals before falling to the Sparks, despite only finishing 18-16. That included playoff victories over both the New York Liberty and the Dallas Wings.
The star for the Mystics is Elena Delle Donne, who finished seventh in the MVP balloting, but was fourth in 2016. She really stepped up in the post-season, and many are expecting that to carry over into this season.
Over/Under – 17.5. The Mystics have significantly improved their win total over the past few years and considering their successful postseason run where they reached the semifinals against the Lynx (lost in 3 games), the future looks bright for this team. I believe that they can win at least 18 games this season as well.
Key additions: Monique Currie (free agency), Devereaux Peters (free agency), re-signed Tianna Hawkins, LaToya Sanders, Allison Hightower, Asia Taylor, Ariel Atkins (2018 draft), Myisha Hines-Allen (2018 draft), Rebecca Greenwell (2018 draft)
Key departures: Emma Meesseman
Rounding Out the Top 10:
Phoenix Mercury (+1200) – over/under: 16.5
Seattle Storm (+2500) – over/under: 16.5
Dallas Wings (+3000) – over/under: 14.5
Atlanta Dream (+3000) – over/under: 13.5
Las Vegas Aces (+1500) over/under: 12.5
