Here we go with the last large WNBA slate of the year (yes there are games on Sunday but those contests will be microscopic). So we have some house keeping.
Teams with nothing to play for:
Connecticut Sun (clinched 1 seed)
Las Vegas (clinched 2 seed)
Chicago (locked into their seed)
Indiana (terrible)
Now each of these teams still have one more game left so I would be surprised if they rest people today. However, they may not extend anyone’s minutes.
The teams that are playing for seeding:
Seattle Storm
Phoenix Mercury
Minnesota Lynx
Teams playing for their playoff lives:
NY Liberty
Washington Mystics
Listen, the Liberty – Mystics game is the game to target, and because they are playing for their playoff lives Tina Charles is the number one play on this slate even with both Myesha Hines-Allen and Ariel Atkins expected back. I like Atkins and Cloud both in GPPs.
Now while the Liberty are alive for the playoffs their chances are fleeting. Natasha Howard left last game with a knee injury and there is some question whether she will play today. I am assuming she will be out. I love Sabrina Ionescu a lot here. Also, Laney is very strong play here as well. If Howard is out Rebecca Allen, The Onion and Kylee Shook all get a bump. I like the Onion and Allen here, both of them.
I don’t want to play Indiana on a four game slate versus Minnesota. But if Tiffany Mitchell is out that opens up a ton of minutes for Lindsay Allen and Vivians. Teaira McCowan’s minutes appear to actually be stable but I am not a big fan of them here.
Clarendon might play so I am off the Minnesota guards. Naphreesa Collier and Sylvia Fowles are both extremely strong plays here. Aerial Powers is still too cheap on FanDuel and I like her here.
Las Vegas – Chicago
This is the game I am least on. I suspect Chicago is not going to run Vandersloot or Parker big minutes. I can see an argument for Azura Stevens as she could see decent run. Allie Quigley is too cheap on FanDuel but I am worried about Chicago limiting their veterans’ minutes here, which makes Diamond DeShields an interesting GPP dart.
Las Vegas
If people are not going to play Aja Wilson I am fine with her in GPPs. You take shots on the Vegas guards in GPPs. One will be good but it’s guess work. With Vegas having clinched I am going to assume D’erica Hamby is limited to only 20 minutes still.
Phoenix-Seattle
I like this game a lot. We have two teams missing key pieces. Seattle was terrible in their first game without Breanna Stewart and there is a decent chance they are just terrible without her. But I love getting to Seattle here; Mercedes Russel, Ezi Megabor, Jewel Lloyd, Katie Lou Samuelson – heck you can even play Sue Bird. While the matchup isn’t great I like Seattle.
Brittany Griner is a great pivot from a chalky Tina Charles here. Without Stewart, Seattle’s interior defense is going to suffer. Skylar Diggins is in a nice spot as well. Remember Taurasi is not playing. Additionally Kia Nurse and Shey Peddy are strong value plays and for the 100th slate in a row Brianna Turner is too cheap on FanDuel.
Stud rankings:
Charles>Griner>Sabrina>Fowles>Wilson>Collier>Diggins>McCowan
Value:
Ezi, Russel, Katie Lou, Nurse, The Onion, Stevens, Powers
GPP Plays I like:
Griner, Seattle, Collier, Nurse, Ariel Atkins, Cloud, Laney, C Gray