🏆 Layup Lines: Minnesota's title path

Happy Monday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA. Game 2 for both series isn’t until tomorrow, but I had a take to unload so here we are.

• Coaching update: Seattle is unsurprisingly not bringing back Noelle Quinn.

This 493 word newsletter should take about 2 minutes to read.

👀 Fever, Lynx take Game 1

• Kelsey Mitchell continued her postseason tear on Sunday by pouring on 34 points to help beat the Aces, 89-73. Indiana held Vegas to 41% shooting from the field and just five 3-pointers — I have no idea if that defense is sustainable, but it is the key to winning this series.

• In the late game, the Lynx put on a classic performance where they look slow for the first half and then blast through the 4th quarter. They outscored the tired Mercury 42-22 in the second half to win, 82-69.

• For those here for the bets, we went 2-0 yesterday and are now 5-7 in the playoffs. No further comment.

🛏 Looking ahead

• It’s too early to be doing this in a best-of-five series, but if the Lynx can find a way to sweep Phoenix, they’ll have a massive rest advantage heading into the Finals that could make a huge difference.

  • Remember, the All-Star break was four days long and the majority of Minnesota’s roster was either playing or drinking through that weekend. Ending the first round on Friday would mean the longest break of the season right before the Finals.

🥇 MVP take to go

• To me, the MVP should’ve gone to Napheesa Collier, who was the best player on the best team all season and was only the second player in league history to finish with a 50-40-90 shooting split.

• I’m not here to knock A’ja Wilson winning her fourth award, a new league record. She dominated the second half of the season and led the league in points (23.4) and blocks (2.3) per game, and was second in rebounds (10.2). It makes sense.

  • Here’s the thing: Wilson’s stats are worse than they were last year (26.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.6 bpg). Is it fair that MVP candidates have to constantly top their own stats to win these awards? No. But this is how the MVP works in basketball.

    • Michael Jordan has five MVPs and should’ve won at least seven, but didn’t due to voter fatigue. LeBron James won four in five years, but his last was in 2013 and he’s finished top 5 six times since then. Tina Charles won in 2012, had a nearly identical statistical season in 2013 and got 12th (her team was much worse, to be fair).

    • This award has always factored in past winners and the MVP has never existed in a vacuum.

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