🥇 Layup Lines: Finally getting healthy

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

• I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

This 484 word newsletter should take about 2 minutes to read.

🥊 Quick weekend recap

• It’s been a crazy August. The Liberty have gone from competing for the top seed to dropping down to the middle of the pack, the Aces have won 10 in a row to rocket up the standings, the Sun have won four of their last five to almost double their season win total and between the Mystics, Sparks and Fever, nobody seems to want the last playoff spot.

• Here are my three biggest questions heading into the last three weeks of the regular season:

  • Napheesa Collier looked as fresh as could be in her return to the Lynx last night. Can the Liberty quickly return to form with Breanna Stewart back starting tonight, or are they just too banged up?

  • Do we have even a chance of a first round upset? Minnesota, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix and New York are the clear top 5 right now with a wide gap, but someone else might get hot in September. Easy spin zone: the semifinals this year are going to be awesome.

  • Do we see Caitlin Clark again this year? Most of Indiana’s backcourt is otherwise out for the season and if the Fever keep sliding, Clark might not be healthy in time to keep them in the playoffs.

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💰 We’re so back

• I was somewhat looking forward to no longer publicly humiliating myself with picks, but on Saturday, two loyal New York-based readers who were not at all influenced by the open bar at a wedding made a generous donation to Layup Lines. “Lose our money,” they said.

  • Buoyed by the optimism, we’re going to keep throwing spaghetti at the wall.

📺 Today’s games

• We’re 77-88 this season and now have $300 remaining of our budget to wager.

• There are two games tonight — Connecticut @ New York (7:00pm ET, League Pass) and Las Vegas @ Chicago (8:00pm, NBA TV).

  • The Sun’s young core has been gelling and while Stewart is back tonight, she’s missed New York’s last 13 games and should be slower to get her offense back than the defense.

    • Bet: New York / Connecticut under 167.5 total points scored, $50 to win $44.

  • Angel Reese vs. A’ja Wilson down low should be fun and bring out the scoring.

    • Bet: Las Vegas / Chicago over 165.5, $50 to win $44.

👑 Graphic to go

• Now this is how you remind people why you’re the MVP frontrunner despite missing the last three weeks.

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