>
WNBA News and Fantasy Basketball Notes 9/11
Rivals Matchup! Aces and Lynx Face Off for Commissioner's Cup Final
The Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx will compete for the Commissioner's Cup title on Tuesday, September 13th. The Aces earned their spot in the final after defeating the Chicago Sky 89-77 in the semifinals, while the Lynx advanced by beating the Seattle Storm 84-79.
Two of the league's top teams, the Aces and Lynx are both led by strong performances in the paint. The Aces are led by A'ja Wilson, who is averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while the Lynx are led by Sylvia Fowles, who is averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
The Commissioner's Cup is a new addition to the WNBA schedule this season. The tournament features the top teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Aces and Lynx are the first two teams to reach the final, and they are both looking to add another trophy to their cases.
Nneka Ogwumike Named WNBA MVP
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike has been named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2022 season. Ogwumike received 44 of the 49 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Ogwumike averaged 19.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game this season. She led the Sparks to a 15-21 record, which was good for seventh place in the league.
This is Ogwumike's first MVP award. She is the first player in Sparks history to win the award.
Other Noteworthy Performances
In addition to the Aces, Lynx, and Ogwumike, several other teams and players had notable performances this week.
- The Connecticut Sun clinched the top seed in the WNBA playoffs with a 105-76 win over the New York Liberty.
- The Chicago Sky secured the second seed in the playoffs with a 89-77 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
- Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm scored 30 points in a 84-79 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
- Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks scored 20 points in a 93-80 win over the Dallas Wings.
With the regular season coming to a close, the WNBA playoffs are set to begin on September 18th. The top eight teams in the league will compete for the championship.