WNBA Power Rankings Based on Championship Odds (Where Does Every Playoff Team Rank to Start Postseason?)

Postseason basketball is back this summer as the WNBA Playoffs tip-off Wednesday night, albeit with a new format than in years past.

Over the last six years, the top two seeds received first round byes with single elimination matchups in Rounds 1-2. Now, every team plays in the opening round, as home teams earn home court advantage during the first two games.

Once the playoffs begin, it's a best-of-three series in the first round, followed by best-of-five (2-2-1) in the semifinals and WNBA Finals. There are also no Eastern and Western conferences once the postseason begins, as every team is re-seeded based off regular season win/loss record.

On Monday, the oddsmakers at FanDuel released their odds for every team to win the 2022 WNBA Championship, but are their odds truly reflective of which team is best positioned to take home the title?

Here are my final WNBA Power Rankings for 2022, based off each team's Vegas odds to win it all.

1. Chicago Sky (+230) - WNBA Playoff Seed (2)

Chicago, not Las Vegas is not only the most complete team in the league this season. It's also the best positioned to win the Finals following its franchise record 26 win-season. The Sky are a far superior team than a season ago when they won the title.

The Sky went 3-1 vs. the Liberty during the regular season and swept the Connecticut Sun in four games. Their likely Finals matchup against either Las Vegas or Seattle will be tough , but there's too much experience, talent, and versatility on the roster for any team to neutralize them.

2. Las Vegas Aces (+175) - WNBA Playoff Seed (1)

The Aces won their final four games to take back the 1-seed, including a home win against the Sky in the process.

Becky Hammon's team may have the most talent in the league offensively; finishing with the WNBA's best offensive rating, but can they get the defensive stops they need when it counts most?

3. Seattle Storm (+600) - WNBA Playoff Seed (4)

Maybe my bias is getting in the way of ranking Seattle over Connecticut, but I think its roster is more complete and has an easier road to the Finals over the Sun.

Breanna Stewart finished with 8.1 win shares at Her Hoop Stats, more than 1.1 more than the second-place finisher A'ja Wilson (7.0), and Jewell Loyd, Tina Charles, and Sue Bird offer an ideal mix of talent all over the court. Over the final two weeks of the season, no team was better offensively than the Storm, while still finishing as the 3rd-best defensive rated team in the WNBA.

4. Connecticut Sun (+380) - WNBA Playoff Seed (3)

The Sun finished with the best overall net rating in the league, but they didn't win enough games against the league's best teams for me to feel secure about their championship chances.

Connecticut finished just 1-6 vs. the Aces and Sky this season, while going 24-5 against everyone else.

5. Washington Mystics (+1100) - WNBA Playoff Seed (5)

The Mystics will be in every game thanks to their elite defense; finishing tops in the WNBA in defensive rating for the season. Their offense remains mediocre at best; ending the season seventh in offensive rating.

The key question is Elena Delle Donne and if she's truly healthy heading into the postseason. Washington is more than capable of stealing a game, but between the Storm's top-level capabilities both offensively and defensively, as well as having to travel cross-country, this doesn't set up well.

6. Dallas Wings (+5500) - WNBA Playoff Seed (6)

Dallas actually went 2-1 both straight up and against the spread vs. Connecticut this season, but not having All-Star Arike Ogunbowale will be costly in the first round.

I have my doubts about Connecticut in the second round, but it still went 11-3 down the stretch, and finished top two in defensive rating. That should be enough to slow down Dallas' second-ranked offensive rating over its final seven games.

7. New York Liberty (+8000) - WNBA Playoff Seed (7)

The season couldn't have started worse for the Liberty, but they persevered and played very solid basketball for the final three quarters of the season.

Sabrina Ionescu had a record-setting year, becoming the first player in WNBA history to score 500+ points and record 200+ rebounds and 200+ assists. After her and Natasha Howard, however, they're fairly thin at depth, which plays right into Chicago's strength.

8. Phoenix Mercury (+13000) - WNBA Playoff Seed (8)

The Mercury backing their way into the postseason after a dreadful start makes for a compelling story. They've dealt with a lot, primarily with star center Brittney Griner's imprisonment in Russia, the release of Tina Charles, and in-fighting between stars Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi, as well as Diggins-Smith and head coach Vanessa Nygaard.

There's also the possibility neither Diggins-Smith (personal) or Taurasi (quad) play, although both are expected to suit up.

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