2019 WNBA Season Preview and Doc's Sports Expert Handicapping
It's that time of year again. The time of year where two of the four major sports draws to an end, and the only sport left to fill the void is Major League Baseball, and for some, Major League Soccer. It really is the dog days of the betting calendar, and most bettors force plays on MLB games they have no business betting. I am here to tell you that there is another way. There is another way to get your money down on some action and turn a profit. It's a way that is unique and that offers extreme value due to the lack of interest it draws from the national media. Yes, I'm talking about the WNBA.
The WNBA regular season kicks off on May 24 and runs right through September until a champion is named. The WNBA season features 34 regular-season games, with each team playing 17 home-and-away games. Each team plays one in-conference team four times throughout the season and the remaining teams three times. Each team then plays the six nonconference opponents three times each. Essentially, it's a schedule that is no different from an NBA-type schedule - just more condensed.
How to Bet On the WNBA
If you are new to betting basketball, or just in general, I recommend visiting our WNBA tutorial. This quick read will break down every single bet you could possibly make on this league and then some. It will help you understand the point spread, the money line plays, totals, props, futures and everything in between.
We here at Doc's have some of the best WNBA handicappers in the country, and we thrive off of showing you profit over the course of the season. Doc's is proud to announce that they have a new WNBA handicapper on board for this coming season that knows the ins-and-outs of the league and what makes each team tick. You can sign up for Doc's season-long WNBA package by clicking here.
2018 WNBA Season Recap
Before we start breaking down the 2019 WNBA season, it's imperative to look back on how the 2018 season wrapped up to get a better idea of how each team is coming into this season.
For starters, the Seattle Storm won their third championship in franchise history by sweeping away the Washington Mystics, 3-0. The Storm were the No. 1 seed in the West by six games and were basically unbeatable at home, going 31-8. The East was a little more contested as Atlanta, Washington and Connecticut finished with 23, 22, 21 wins, respectively, which was far and away the best records in the conference. It'll be interesting to see if the East can bounce back and have a respectable season or if the West will make them their doormats once again.
2019 WNBA Season Preview
What news would you like to hear first? The good news or the bad news? For Seattle, a franchise that has been one of the steadiest organizations in the WNBA over the last handful of years, the news could not have been worse in the lead up to the season. First, their best player, Breanna Stewart, suffered an ACL injury while playing overseas during the offseason. That will force her to miss the entire 2019 WNBA season and will leave the league and the Storm without one of the main draws in terms of talent. To make matters worse, and something that means more than sports, their coach, Dan Hughes, was diagnosed with cancer. He is expected to undergo surgery, but there is no timetable on a return to the bench. This leaves the defending WNBA champions in a state of uncertainty heading into the season. As of right now, the Storm are outsiders at 15-1 to repeat.
In good news around the league, the Las Vegas Aces might be a force to be reckoned with this season. They have a core of Kelsey Plum, Kayla McBride, and Jackie Young. That's a great start. They also just added a beast in Liz Cambage from Dallas, who was MVP runner up last season and set a league record by dropping 53 points against New York. Cambage and her 23-10 stat line will be a great addition to a Vegas team who will likely turn heads this season. The trade for Cambage bumped up their win total from 20 to 22.5, and they are currently listed as 6-1 to win the title.
The current favorite for the WNBA title is the Washington Mystics. They are currently listed as 5/2 favorites, and that is warranted given how well they performed last season and given the fact that they return essentially the same team. It should be noted that the combination of Kristi Toliver, Natasha Cloud, Ariel Atkins, Elena Delle Donne, and LaToya Sanders outscored opponents by 30.3 points per 100 possessions last season. That's incredible. The questions about the Mystics come in the form of their bench and if coach Mike Thibault will go entirely big or keep an extra point guard for extra minutes and extra distribution. This Mystics team should dominate the boards and get the most production from the frontcourt in the league. A trip to the finals wouldn't be shocking.
Behind the Mystics, you'll find three teams with 5/1 odds to take the title. The first of that trio is the Connecticut Sun. The Sun have lost back-to-back elimination games in the postseason to Phoenix. They must have their sights set on getting a bye in the postseason, and we like that to happen with the likes of Alyssa Thomas and Jonquel Jones leading the way up front. The Sun play a very attractive brand of basketball, and their depth is one of the best in the league.
The second team in that range is the Los Angeles Sparks. Nobody knows what to make of this team considering they will be without Odyssey Sims, Essence Carson, and Riquna Williams. This trio logged almost 2,20 minutes last season. How do they replace them? Well for starters, they do have depth up front with Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka Ogwumike, and Candace Parker. The onus will fall on first-time WNBA coach Derek Fisher to push the right buttons and put his team in the best position to win.
And the last team at 5/1 is the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury will start the season behind the eight ball as Diana Taurasi will miss extended time due to back surgery. That forces them to play through Brittney Griner. And while that might seem like a drop-off, Griner is my choice to lead the league in scoring. If Taurasi can return to the team healthy and ready to go, that opens up the court and teams will struggle to defend all their scoring options. If Taurasi was healthy to start the season, the Mercury would be heavy favorites to win the title.
Outside of the six teams mentioned above, Atlanta is currently 6/1, Minnesota is 25/1, Chicago and Dallas are 60/1, Indiana and New York are 100/1 to win the title. No sense wasting money on any of these six teams considering they don't have the talent or depth as the six teams we touched on in depth above.
Doc's Sports is offering expert WNBA picks this season. New clients can try out our service with $60 in free credit that can be used just like cash to purchase Doc's Sports WNBA picks. Click here to sign up .
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