WNBA Season Preview | Eastern Conference Best Bets
Sarah Stier/Getty Images. Pictured: Breanna Stewart
The 2024 WNBA season is right around the corner, and our analysts are here to preview every team on Action Network's newest podcast, BUCKETS WNBA.
In this episode, WNBA experts Maria Marino, Jim Turvey and Dano Mataya broke down every team in the Eastern Conference and gave out their best bets on the juggernaut New York Liberty, new-look Chicago Sky and more.
Be sure to subscribe to BUCKETS WNBA to listen to episodes all season long. Check out our Western Conference preview if you missed it last week, and once the regular season begins, you'll get new episodes every Tuesday and Friday that break down the action with expert picks and analysis.
Below, you can listen to the Eastern Conference preview and read a few of our favorite bets from the episode.
WNBA Best Bets
New York Liberty
Dano Mataya: I think this core will see some improvement just from a continuity standpoint, but I do worry about this team's lack of depth — specifically at the 4-5 positions.
I think you can run into some trouble when Jonquel Jones goes to the bench because I don't think Breanna Stewart likes to play the 5. That being said, I will be taking under 31.5 wins.
The Liberty played 10 games during the regular season last year that were decided by five points or fewer and they were 7-3 in those games. That's a couple bounces here or there that would lead to some more losses, and I think we'll see that this year.
They are also going to have some players in the Olympics. Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu for sure, and potentially Betnijah Laney-Hamilton as well. That's a lot of miles gone from a great team.
The talent across the league is going to be better. Some of those wins are going to be harder to come by, specifically against teams like the Storm and Mercury, who they had close games against last year.
Pick: New York Liberty Under 31.5 Wins
Chicago Sky
Jim Turvey: To me, the most interesting part of the Sky is seeing what Teresa Weatherspoon can do with this roster. I think Elizabeth Williams is the best player on this team, so what was surprising to me going into the draft is that they already had a center to build around and then they went out and drafted two bigs in Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
That's not even to mention that they also have Isabelle Harrison, who I think is maybe the third-best player on this team.
They have a bigs rotation that's going to be really strong and particularly strong defensively. And while I'm excited to see Dana Evans and Chennedy Carter potentially getting minutes, I also don't know if in this league at this moment, that combination is going to lead to a ton of success in terms of actual wins.
I think they could be spunky, but to me this is a team where there's solid talent and coaching, but I don't see this team being on par with the rest of the league.
Pick: Chicago Sky Under 11.5 Wins
Atlanta Dream
Maria Marino: The logical next step for the Dream after last season would be for them to take a step up and be better and more competitive after being middle-of-the-pack. But the league and competition are better, and there are a lot of unknowns with this team.
They added Jordin Canada — who is out right now — and traded for Crystal Dangerfield for a little depth at the guard position. They also got Rhyne Howard back; she, alongside Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, are their best players.
They did sign Aerial Powers, which I think is really interesting considering I think she's going to be on the war path looking for a revenge season. And then there's Tina Charles, who is an interesting X-Factor as a former MVP who didn't play last season. She's obviously older but you know she's got something left in the tank. The question is: How much?
What's interesting about the Dream is that they are favored to make the playoffs but also favored to go under 18.5 wins. So, which is it?
They could very well go under and make the playoffs depending on how things shake out, but let's remember how this team finished last season. They definitely regressed throughout the season, and I have trouble envisioning how all of this is going to come together.
I have questions about their size and length. I know Charles adds some of that, but I'm not 100% sure of where she's at at this stage of her career.
If you look at the playoff structure, eight teams make it and four teams miss. I think we're comfortable in predicting the Sky, Sparks and Mystics are three of those four. Who is the fourth? When you look around the league, I just feel more comfortable saying Atlanta.
Pick: Atlanta Dream To Miss The Playoffs
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