Unmatched playoff preview: Can anybody take down the Lunar Owls?

Unmatched playoffs are set to tip off on Sunday, with the Laces and Rose slated to tip off at 7:30 pm, and the Vinyl and Lunar Owls at 8:30 pm. The winners of every Sunday match-up will face off in a championship sport on Monday night time, with the winners coming away because the inaugural Unmatched champions.

The Lunar Owls (13-1) enter the postseason because the heavy favorites to win all of it. They’ve outscored opponents by 170 factors throughout 14 video games and dropped only a single sport — to the Roses — all season.

The Owls have been led by Napheesa Collier, who was named to the All-Unmatched First Workforce on Thursday, on each ends. She averaged a league-best 25.7 factors per sport alongside 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2 steals, and 1.4 blocks throughout 14 common season video games, whereas additionally securing the 1v1 championship.

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Allisha Grey is the group’s second-leading scorer, averaging 19.1 factors per sport, whereas Skylar Diggins-Smith has additionally been massively impactful for the Owls, averaging 17.9 factors per sport and 4.8 assists. Courtney Williams has been efficient in a backup level guard function, whereas Shakira Austin has elevated her sport, averaging 8.4 factors in 9.2 minutes. The Owls have additionally been uniquely wholesome this season; whereas different golf equipment have gained needed to largely depend on reduction contract gamers as they’ve juggled numerous accidents, the Lunar Owls had good availability throughout their 5 gamers this season.

The Rose Membership appears finest positioned to topple the Lunar Owls, if anybody can

If anybody can beat the Lunar Owls, the Rose Membership appears to have the most effective probability — as a result of they’ve carried out it earlier than. The Rose completed with the league’s second-best file at 8-6, profitable 6 of their final 8 video games. They beat the Lunar Owls on Feb. 21, led by Angel Reese (22 factors, 13 rebounds), Chelsea Grey (26 factors), and Brittney Sykes (16 factors). Grey has been the group’s most dominant participant, and as such, she was named to the All-Univaled First Workforce, whereas Reese was named to the All-Univaled Second Workforce.

Nonetheless, Reese’s availability is in query coming into the weekend after she seemingly re-injured her proper wrist, which she broke this previous fall. No official replace has been offered, however she missed the second half of the ultimate common season contest of the season. For the Rose to have the most effective probability at upsetting the Owls, Reese will doubtless have to not solely be out there but additionally her normal dominant self — particularly how instrumental she was when the 2 groups final confronted off.

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Sykes was additionally an X-factor the final time the 2 groups confronted off; she shot 6-8 from the sector, tallying 16 factors and 4 assists in 17 minutes. However, she’s additionally had a number of performances this season during which she’s scored only a basket or two — and the Rose will want everybody to be on their A sport on this one.

There’s additionally the fact that Grey has been maybe Unmatched’s finest participant within the last weeks of the season; if she will preserve her sizzling play, she’s been in a position to elevate the Rose to a number of unlikely wins within the seasons’ shut.

A full-strength Laces group may additionally pose a menace to the Owls

For the reason that Rose have carried out it earlier than, they appear better-positioned to overthrow the Owls. However, the Laces are the healthiest they’ve been shortly — Alyssa Thomas and Tiffany Hayes are each again within the lineup after lacking time with accidents — and Jackie Younger closed the common season together with her finest sport of the 12 months, exploding for 27 factors on 10-17 taking pictures alongside 4 assists and 4 boards.

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The Laces’ potential success depends on how dominant Kayla McBride, who was not too long ago named to the All-Unmatched First Workforce, might be. McBride has been Unmatched’s second-leading scorer, averaging 22.2 factors and 5.7 rebounds per sport, however has struggled a bit from the sector since her return from harm. She’ll have to be on her A-game if the Laces are to overpower the Owls.

However, Thomas, Hayes, and Younger all have the potential to be one of many group’s most sport gamers at any given second, and if all the things clicks, they need to have the firepower to face up to a Lunar Owls’ onslaught.

The Owls will face the Vinyl of their first playoff sport

The Vinyl have been the final group to safe a playoff berth, they usually’ll face the Owls within the first spherical of the playoffs. Something can occur within the sport of basketball, however based mostly on their common season efficiency, the Vinyl Membership seems least-positioned to overthrow the 13-1 Owls.

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The thrice the Vinyl and Lunar Owls confronted off this 12 months, the Owls gained — 67-57 on Jan. 27, 85-68 on Feb. 3, and 78-72 on March 1. The important thing to the Vinyl’s relative success within the last sport was Dearica Hamby; she exploded for 31 factors on 13-18 in that one. Hamby might want to play at an MVP stage — and Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada might want to have efficient performances — for the Vinyl to have shot at an upset. Aliyah Boston and Rae Burrell will each want to maximise their productiveness of the bench.

Phantom, Mist membership each eradicated from the Unmatched playoffs

The Phantom have been the primary group to be eradicated from playoff rivalry after a season that noticed them go 4-10 en path to the league’s worst file. The group, led by Sabrina Ionescu, Marina Mabrey, Natasha Cloud, Katie Lou Samuelson, Satou Sabally, and Brittney Griner was outscored by a league-worst 137 factors this season. Ionescu solely appeared in 9 video games resulting from prior commitments, and Mabrey missed all however three video games with a calf harm she suffered at coaching camp. Griner had a robust season, averaging 16.7 factors per sport, whereas Sabally added 15.9 factors per sport. Samuelson averaged 7.1 factors per sport.

The Mist have been eradicated from the playoff race after closing the season with a 34-point defeat to the Lunar Owls. Breanna Stewart was the squad’s most constant participant — averaging 19.1 factors, 11 rebounds and three.1 assists — whereas Rickea Jackson stood out, averaging 13.6 factors in 12.9 minutes per sport. Jewell Loyd struggled offensively for a lot of the season.