Predictions: Winners and losers from the first round of WNBA playoffs

This season has been the longest to date with 40 games on the schedule.

The 2023 WNBA regular season is over and the first round of the playoff bracket is set. The road to the championship will begin on Wednesday with a best-of-three series format to determine the four teams that will advance to the semifinals.

The two highest seeds, the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, are paired up against the two lowest seeds, the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics, in the first round. The Mystics beat the Liberty in a buzzer-beating performance on Sunday and are heading into their matchup on Friday with a healthy roster and confidence.

This season has been the longest to date with 40 games on the schedule. Players are understandably tired, so stamina and coaching decisions will be a huge deciding factor in which teams advance to the semifinals.

Here are my predictions for which teams will advance: