Aces to win WNBA Championship +120. I have the Aces as the favorites to repeat this season for several reasons. I already laid out the analytics support for the Aces being slight favorites over the Liberty to win it all, despite the Liberty having a small advantage according to the Basketball Power Index (BPI).
On the court, the combo of A’ja Wilson and Candace Parker is incredibly dynamic on both ends. While it’s easy to think of their skill on offense and their MVP resumes, it is their defense that stands out to me. I have Wilson as a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, and both she and Parker have the athletic ability to be rim protectors, help defenders and even to switch out on the perimeter if called upon. That separates them from any other frontcourt in the WNBA.
Then, on the perimeter, having three playmakers in Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray is also difficult to match up with. The Aces had the best starting five in the WNBA last season and look even stronger going into this season.
With that said, though I have the Aces as slight favorites, I am unlikely to bet on them to win with odds so short. The season is long and anything can happen, plus the expected margin between the Aces and Liberty is so low…
