Can the Liberty Win the WNBA Championship?
The New York basketball team with the best shot to win a title in the next calendar year is without a doubt the Liberty. It would take a major improvement or trade from either the Knicks or Nets to win a championship this upcoming season but the Liberty currently have the second-best record in the WNBA.
Now, it is obvious that a major part of the reason the Liberty have a better chance to win a championship than both the Nets or Knicks is due to the fact that there are only 12 teams in the entire WNBA. The probability is just much higher for any WNBA team. I’m not ignoring that very important piece of information. What I’m not ignoring is their current record of 25-7 and star-studded roster.
Case for the Liberty to Win the WNBA Finals
That 25-7 record puts the Liberty as the second best team in the league. The Connecticut Sun have 22 wins and the reigning-champion Las Vegas Aces have the best record with 28 wins and just four losses. It was the first time ever the Aces have won the championship and they may have thought they would easily go on a run to win multiple in a row due to last season’s dominance.
That is where the Liberty have shocked everyone, including the Aces. Earlier in August the Liberty beat the Aces by 38 points and then beat them again on August 15th by 19 points. The Aces also lost their most recent game to the Los Angeles Sparks, who have just 13 total wins on the season.
The Liberty have not only been beating the Aces, but they must have their confidence rattled a little bit as well.
In the entire month of August the Liberty have lost just one game that came at the hands of the Aces. This Liberty team has an impressive roster. They are led by arguably the best women basketball player on the planet right now, Breanna Stewart. Other stars on their team include Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot, Betnijah Laney, and Jonquel Jones.
The WNBA Playoff Structure
The WNBA playoffs are not separated into East and West. They are split into two sides where the one and two seeds are on opposing sides. What it will likely come down to is the Liberty against the Aces in the finals.
New York could even make a push in the final two weeks of the regular season here to pass Las Vegas in the standings. That way they wouldn’t have to play Connecticut on their way to the finals.
With the season series between the Liberty and Aces being at 2-2 right now, the lone remaining matchup on August 28th between these two will be pivotal. If the Liberty can win the regular-season series between these two teams, it should give them confidence that they can beat them in a five-game playoff series come the WNBA Finals.
By Jack Stradley, I’m a sports writer always looking for a gripping story and a hot take.