✂️ Layup Lines: Elimination Tuesday

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Happy Tuesday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA.

•  We’ve got playoff games on every night this week — count your blessings!

This 481 word newsletter should take about 2 minutes to read.

🥱 Sunday goes (mostly) chalk

• Sunday’s only entertaining game might also end up being the only interesting first round series — the Liberty beat the Mercury on the road in OT thanks to Natasha Cloud, but also potentially lost Breanna Stewart to yet another knee injury.

  • New York has been so banged up that I was surprised to see coach Sandy Brondello only play seven players (and two of them, 15 minutes or less). If Stewart can play through the injury, this could be an all-time first round series. If she can’t, the Liberty are probably going home early.

• And a gold star to the Aces, who scored at will to steamroll the Storm for their 17th straight win. One more ties the league record and puts Las Vegas into the semifinals for the seventh consecutive season. Not bad for a team that was .500 at the All-Star break.

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📺 Today’s games

• Both games tonight are on ESPN — Atlanta @ Indiana (7:30pm) and Las Vegas @ Seattle (9:30pm)

  • The Fever (+4.5) are hosting a playoff game for the first time in 9 years and are counting on an electric atmosphere to overcome a large talent gap with the Dream.

  • The Storm (+5) lost by 25 points to the Aces on Sunday, their worst playoff loss in franchise history … and they’ve been better on the road than at home.

  • In terms of bets, I suggested three on Sunday and they all lost. Incredible stuff. If you’d like to fade me, today I’d take the two road favorites.

    • Moneyline parlay: Dream, Aces to win (+129)

📰 Good reads from around the league

• WNBA fandom costs rise as growing popularity drives up ticket prices (The Athletic, 🔒)

• The Valkyries have woven a dream season. Now, it’s hanging on by a thread (The San Francisco Standard)

• Sunday highlights, analysis (ESPN)

🏆 Awards to go

• Yesterday, Veronica Burton capped her incredible comeback season by winning the league’s Most Improved Player award. Fun stat: She’s the first player in WNBA history to increase her averages by at least five points, two rebounds and two assists per game from one season to the next, per ESPN.

• This morning, Paige Bueckers won the Rookie of the Year award after being the only player ranked in the top 10 in points, assists and steals per game this season — roughly five months after winning a national championship.

  • Fun video!

Layup Lines is written 100% by a human being. I very much appreciate you reading and will see you back here tomorrow.

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor