The New York Liberty continue their strong push for another WNBA title and remain steady as heavy favorites to win the championship despite their loss to the Connecticut Sun this past week. The Liberty recently overtook current title holders Las Vegas Aces, who have endured a subpar season so far, at least, according to their standards.
As for the new-look Sun who acquired Marina Mabrey from Chicago Sky during the Olympic break, they are neck-in-neck with the Minnesota Lynx in the dark horse spot after snapping the Liberty’s win streak. There has also been some movement mid-table, with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever starting to heat up at the perfect time.
Here’s a roundup of the current WNBA championship odds
New York Liberty
If there’s one team that has lived up to expectations coming into the season, it’s the New York Liberty. Don’t let their abysmal loss to the Sun on August 24th fool you, the Liberty are still the team to beat in the WNBA.
Heading into the Summer Olympics break on the back of a four-game streak where they obliterated every team they faced, the Liberty resumed the season from where they left. Sandy Brondello’s team bullied the LA Sparkles 103-68 before turning their attention to defending champions Aces. They were clearly the better team in that matchup and deservedly went up 2-0 in the season series in what could potentially be another finals matchup.
New York went on to win back-to-back games against the Dallas Wings, before falling short to a potential playoff opponent in Connecticut. While the loss could pose a few head scratches in the locker room, the Liberty have proven all season long that they possess the firepower needed to go all the way this season.
Las Vegas Aces
Put it this way, the Aces are not having a great season, and understandably so, losing more games so far this season (11) than they did throughout last season (8). The Aces had a slow start to this season, dropping to 6-6 after their June loss to the Liberty this season. Vegas showed signs of their championship selves, winning 11 out of their next 14 games, but have since regressed, winning just one of their last five games since the break and dropping to fifth on the table.
There have been a few positives, however. A’ja Wilson continues to be the star for the Aces, putting up video game numbers. She leads the league in points (26.6), blocks (2.7), and is second in rebounds behind rookie sensation Angel Reese.
Of course, a few key injuries have played a big factor in their dip in form, but after going back-to-back and still boasting one of the most complete rosters in the league, Becky Hammon’s team appears more to be suffering from a championship hangover. Wilson won the Olympics MVP in Paris and is the favorite to win another league MVP this season, while Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Kelsey Plum all made valuable contributions en route to winning Gold for Team USA.
The Aces will need to lock in for the final stretch and get their acts together if they intend three-peating.
Connecticut Sun
The Sun are second in the WNBA standing for a reason. They’ve lost seven games this campaign, just two more than the Liberty, and are in red-hot form at the moment. But it’s their mid-season trade that has got people talking ahead of the final regular season stretch.
The Sun added Marina Mabrey, one of the league’s best three-point shooters to a squad that’s already tough to beat. The former Chicago Sky guard will now partner with Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner to bring the ultimate prize back to the New England area.
Connecticut defeated the best team in the league convincingly on Saturday, thanks in large part to a solid defense that forced the Liberty to 19 turnovers. Sabrina lonescu, arguably the best three-point shooter in the league, was held 2-12 from beyond the arc.
With the team playing really well, Sun fans who fancy their chances can make the most of TrustnBet’s guide to sports betting in Connecticut for informed predictions.
Indiana Fever
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are playing possibly the best basketball in the league right now. After struggling to gel at the start of the season, they appear to be getting it right at the perfect time.
Of course, much of the spotlight has been on Caitlin Clark. One of the greatest college players of all time entering her rookie season as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The 22-year-old has adapted to life as a pro pretty quickly, with her playmaking brilliance on display, night-in, night-out. Clark recently broke the record for most assists in a single WNBA game (19) in the game against Dallas.
But she isn’t the only player making key contributions for the Fever. 2023 No. 1 overall Aaliyah Boston has been pivotal on both sides of the court, while Kelsey Mitchell continues to be Indiana’s ever-reliable bucket-getter.
With 13 wins already this season, Indiana have already bested last season’s win tally (12), their most wins in a season in the last seven years, with 11 games left to play.