Starting the 2008 WNBA Playoff Season

I think I’ll just get this in before the first of the 2008 WNBA playoff games start….

Wow. That was a heck of a season, wasn’t it? Well, all except the last game or two when various teams let their players take a bit of a rest (speaking of which…congrats to Diana Taurasi who finally gets to have a few weeks off after a couple of years of steady playing). If we give Atlanta a pass because it was their expansion year, and forgive Chicago for not being able to overcome the loss of Sylvia Fowles for the guts of the season, only one team had an unambiguously disappointing season: Washington (I think the ownership is going to have to embrace the idea of building the team around a young star, and waiting it out without changing coaches for a few seasons…every team has these storms to weather).

Anyway…it’s playoff time. Eight teams fighting it out for one prize. Let’s look at the first round:

Connecticut Sun vs New York Liberty — This should be an interesting series. Both teams are a bit banged up in critical positions and have lost more than they won in the shank of the season. It all depends what players are able to stay on the court to help their teams. Will Whalen’s ankle hold up? Can McCarville be a presence? If Whalen can tough it out, and if they get good minutes from Erin Phillips, I think Connecticut can overcome in 3

Indiana Fever vs Detroit Shock — As much as I don’t like the man on the sidelines, I’ve got to give it to Laimbeer when it comes to player acquisitions. Snagging Taj McWilliams-Franklin from Washington was a major steal that more than made up for the loss of Cheryl Ford. Indiana has quite figured out the Tamika Catchings situation this year in terms of team chemistry. Even if Tammy Sutton-Brown manages to stay out of foul trouble, I think the Fever will need a lot of divine help to overcome the force in Detroit, who I think will sweep the series in 2.

Sacramento Monarchs vs San Antonio Silver Starts — I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the tougest of the series in the first round from a pure basketball standpoint. Neither team is crippled with injuries, and they can just go out and play some ball. What tips it for me is that the Stars have a swagger to them coming into the playoffs. If for no other reason, I pick San Antonio in a close 3-game effort.

Los Angeles Sparks vs Seattle Storm — This has all the makings of a major heavyweight battle…except Lauren Jackson won’t be a force on the court, but a supporter on the bench. Sue Bird has done an MVP-caliber job in getting the Storm to the playoffs, but I think the team is so bandaged up that they’ll have to really suck it up to get through. L.A. has to struggle against their own very significant shortcoming: tiny guards. Yes, the frontcourt is imposing, but every team knows the weakness lay with the guard play. I suspect that Coach Cooper will be shifting Candace Parker to the “Magic” spot at some point during the playoffs, I think he hopes he can keep that “Ace” up his sleeve until later. Los Angeles in 2.

What happens in the conference finals is guesswork at this point since we don’t know the teams. If we go with my guesses above and have DET vs CON and LAS vs SAS contests, then I think Detroit wins and it’s a pick ’em out west. Who wins the whole ball of wax? If Detroit hadn’t picked up Taj, I’d say the West team (whoever that will be), but now…as much as it pains me, I’d have to give the hair’s-breadth edge to the Shock…for now. Let’s see what happens in the first two rounds first, shall we?

OK ladies…game ON!!!