In the upcoming WNBA Finals, the Las Vegas Aces aim to defend their championship title.
In this weekend's WNBA finale, the top contenders, the Las Vegas Aces, who are currently defending champions, will face the New York Liberty. The Aces are favoured to win the championship, with odds at -200, as they strive to secure back-to-back titles. The Liberty, on the other hand, have never won a WNBA championship and are eager to take home the franchise's first trophy.
The WNBA Finals is a five-game series commencing on Sunday in Las Vegas. The Aces rule the home game with an impressive record in Sin City at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Casino, going 19-1. The Finals will move to Brooklyn for Games 3 and 4 (if necessary).
The Aces and the Liberty were the top two seeds heading into the playoffs. The Liberty have managed a 5-1 record so far in the postseason and the Aces are unbeaten, with a perfect 5-0 record.
As the Finals begin, the Aces are at -4.5 favourites to prevail over the Liberty. The points total stands at 172.5 over/under. The presence of these superteams has increased WNBA betting significantly.
The Aces are owned by the Las Vegas Raiders' Mark Davis. In February, he sold a minority stake to legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who officially retired from the NFL.
Las Vegas Aces: In Chase of a Repeat Championship
- Record: 34-6
- ATS Record: 21-19
- Playoff Seed: #1
- Title Odds (End of Season): -150
- Current Title Odds: -200
The Aces boast one of the most promising triple-guard backcourts in WNBA history, alongside a frontline headlined by A'ja Wilson. Wilson averages 25.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs, and scored 53 points in a single game during the regular season, tying a WNBA record.
Guards Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum both score 16 points per game in the playoffs, while guard Jackie Young contributes 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
"To see them all sacrifice for each other has been really enjoyable to watch," Wilson remarked. "They can each score big openly and they choose to pass and sacrifice. It requires a great deal of trust."
Plum averages 6.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 42.1 percent from the 3-point range. Young (41.4%) and Clark (42.9%) are hot from the arc in the postseason too.
The Aces defeated the Chicago Sky in the first round, triumphing with a margin of victory averaging 25 points. They then swept the Dallas Wings to progress to the WNBA Finals for the third time in the past four years.
Star forward Candace Parker is ruled out with a fractured foot and won't play in the Finals.
The Aces' head coach Becky Hammon hopes to lead the team to a repeat WNBA championship. If successful, it'll be the first since the Los Angeles Sparks clinched the title in consecutive years in 2001 and 2002. Hammon, who's been a former WNBA player herself, was part of the Liberty team that finished as runners-up in 2002. Hammon's rocky off-season included a suspension for bullying a former player.
New York Liberty: Will Stewart Lead the Way?
- Record: 32-8
- ATS Record: 19-21
- Playoff Seed: #2
- Title Odds (End of Season): 150
- Current Title Odds: 165
The Liberty boast MVP Breanna Stewart, who scores an average of 19.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. Former MVP and stellar forward Jonquel Jones contributes 16.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.
There's a formidable backcourt featuring point guard Courtney Vandersloot (9.3 points, 6.8 assists, 1.7 steals per game), and the shooting guard Sabrina Ionescu (16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game).
Ionescu claimed the 3-Point Shooting Contest during the WNBA All-Star Weekend and is converting 43.2% of her 3-pointers in the playoffs. Forward Betnijah Laney is the main contributor with a team-high 43.8% percentage from beyond the arc in the postseason.
The Liberty breezed past the Washington Mystics in the first round, only to lose Game 1 of the semifinals to the Connecticut Sun. However, they convincingly won the next three games to progress to the WNBA Finals.
The Liberty's head coach Sandy Brondello has previously won a WNBA title with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and is now aiming to guide her team to their first championship. The Liberty have been to the Finals four times in the league's initial six years but haven't reached the finals since 2002.
The Aces and Liberty had a close 2-2 record in their regular season battles. During an in-season tourney, the Commissioner's Cup, it was the Liberty who came out on top, but this result didn't affect the regular-season standings.
