Can You Wash Boxing Gloves

To paraphrase the old saying, we make predictions and the basketball gods laugh.

WNBA teams' fortunes can turn quickly -- for the worse due to injuries or a tough stretch of the schedule; or for the better after injured players return or something finally clicks for groups.

With just 12 teams in the league, there is talent everywhere. And for the most part, tanking has not been an issue like with other sports. You can expect to see teams play hard until the end of the regular season on Sept. 19, then the top eight move on to try to win the championship.

Can the Las Vegas Aces still three-peat? Can anyone challenge A'ja Wilson as MVP? Will the Rookie of the Year race stay tight? Here are 10 predictions from Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel for the rest of the WNBA season, which resumes Aug. 15, after the Olympic break.

Only the defunct Houston Comets won at least three WNBA titles in a row; they took the first four championships in league history (1997 to 2000). Last season, Las Vegas became the first to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002.

The Aces have had more ups and downs this season, largely because of point guard Chelsea Gray's late start due to injury. But they are still the favorites, as long as they're healthy. Their talent -- four U.S. Olympians in the starting lineup -- is matched by their experience playing together. And it's so difficult to win a playoff series against them, either in an early-round best-of-three or the best-of-five semifinals and WNBA Finals. -- Voepel

The Fever have had a lot of bad luck -- and a few bad decisions -- with personnel and the draft since last making the postseason in 2016. But back-to-back No. 1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark have been home runs. We've seen strong growth from them individually -- and from the Fever as a whole -- since a challenging 1-8 start to the season. Another lottery pick in Kelsey Mitchell (No. 2 in 2018) now has enough talent around her to help her make a first playoff appearance. The Fever should benefit from the Olympic break too, especially with Clark -- who has been playing nonstop since the start of her senior college season at Iowa -- getting some rest. -- Voepel