One more victory for the Minnesota Lynx. That’s all it takes for them to secure an appearance in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship for the second year running. Back-to-back titles are just two wins away. The first obstacle in their way: the Las Vegas Aces.
It hasn’t been a fun season for the Aces. They’re sitting at 5-5 and in dire straits with A’ja Wilson injured. It’s an unusual level of mediocrity they are not accustomed to; they’ve won no fewer than 26 regular-season games in the last three seasons under Becky Hammon, including two titles and a WCF appearance. It’ll be a tall task for them to hit any of those marks this season.
The Lynx will sleepwalk to 26 wins, and a Western Conference Finals appearance is their floor. Napheesa Collier is playing like an MVP, Kayla McBride is back in the fold, and the role players are hitting. Coach Cheryl Reeve has these Lynx firing on all cylinders. A second straight Commissioner’s Cup Championship would be a great step on their quest for a championship.
The Lynx are 13-point favorites at home and are -900 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 161.5 points. Let’s look closer at this game for a pick and prediction.
Lynx vs. Aces Prediction
This would have been a much more compelling contest with A’ja Wilson in the fold. Vegas is out of the running in the Commissioner’s Cup, but they’d have a good chance of playing spoiler for the Lynx. But without Wilson, this one could turn ugly.
The Aces still have Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, two stars in their own right. Jewell Loyd can always get hot and fill up the scoresheet. But Wilson is the engine that makes the machine run. Without her controlling the offense and containing the paint on defense, the Aces stand no chance in this one.
Lynx vs. Aces Pick
Minnesota Lynx -13 (-110)
I’m not sure how this Aces team keeps it close to single digits. Their defense and offense have been disappointing even with Wilson in the lineup. Without her, they’re truly lost against a team this good.
Napheesa Collier is playing otherworldly basketball. Their best option for guarding her, and testing her defense, is gone. Now the -400 MVP favorite will run roughshod over the Aces. Courtney Williams will hand out buckets, Kayla McBride will cause problems on both ends, and Vegas will run out of answers. The Lynx will stamp their ticket to the Cup Championship in emphatic fashion.
