😳 Layup Lines: The Fever?!?

Happy Friday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA. The league really cracked something open with the 1-1-1 first round format — these series have been a blast.

•  Programming note: The league is off tomorrow and so are we. See you back here Sunday for the semifinals!

This 454 word newsletter should take less than 2 minutes to read.

🥵 Fever, Aces make the semis

• Their season should’ve been over after losing Caitlin Clark, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and Aari McDonald over the course of the summer. They probably shouldn’t have even made the playoffs and were +310 to beat the Dream in the opening round.

  • And yet after a dogfight of a Game 3, the Fever have won their first playoff series in 10 years. Indiana shot 24 free throws to Atlanta’s 11, but also held the Dream to 6-23 shooting on 3-pointers.

  • It’s a really disappointing result for Atlanta, which won 30 games but never had a real solution for when 3-pointers didn’t fall.

• In the late game, Las Vegas needed every bit of A’ja Wilson (38 points) and Jackie Young (14 and the game-winning putback) to beat the Storm, who fought harder than I thought they would. There were just 10 total 3-pointers made in this slugfest.

• The Fever (+800 to win) are projected to get steamrolled by the Aces (-1800) in the semis, but frankly, it’s been an incredible season in Indiana regardless.

🌵 Today’s games

• The last game of the opening round is New York @ Phoenix at 9pm ET on ESPN2.

  • Breanna Stewart isn’t technically on the injury report but is not healthy, which sums up where the Liberty are generally. This is a top heavy team and all their stars are playing through serious injuries. Phoenix is healthy, at home and should be able to send the defending champs home early.

  • For those who scroll just to see how badly I did on picks last night, feast on this: I took the under in the game that went over and the over in the game that went under, and then the Aces didn’t cover. That’s 0-3 last night and 2-7 in the playoffs. I am inevitable.

    • Tonight’s bet: Phoenix -2.5

👋 Pic to go

• Hand up: I was ready to stop watching the frustrating Storm. They need a new coach and it might be time to ship away some vets and build around Dominique Malonga.

  • Seattle’s season ending on a hustle play offensive rebound sums it up nicely.

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

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor