Following the WNBA All-Star break is usually the time when everyone puts pen to paper and jots down their predictions on who the ultimate victor is going to be.

With this season's title picture one of the most competitive in recent years, WNBA analyst EJ Arocho listed his five favorites to win it all come October.

According to Arocho, the current favorites for the championship are the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Dallas Wings, Golden State Valkyries, and the Indiana Fever, in that order.

While Arocho's list puts Caitlin Clark and co. fifth, their current form may be the driving force that leads them to becoming big favorites as we enter the second half of the season.

The Fever have won their last eight out of ten games and have come a long way after a slow start to the season, mainly thanks to their elite offense.

In addition, there is no denying the amount of talent Stephanie White's squad possesses, so much so that according to ESPN, the Fever are favorites to win the title this season.

ESPN Analytics released its updated championship probabilities following the All-Star break, and Indiana landed in the top spot. The Fever landed at the top with a 24.1% chance, followed by reigning champions Las Vegas Aces with 22.6%.

While the probabilities consider many aspects when evaluating each team's chances, they also must have taken the Fever's poor defensive record, as they've given up 89.6 points per game this year, the fifth-worst in the league.

Yet, if we look at their current form, it seems like the Fever has adapted to their weaknesses after heavily relying on the attacking prowess of the Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston trio.

Indiana Fever's Offense is Key

Indiana leads the WNBA in scoring, averaging 94.4 points, along with a league-high 37.7% from beyond the arc, and Clark and co. play a big role in its success.

Clark is producing 21.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists despite playing a career-low 29.2 minutes per game due to back issues.

But CC22 has more help than required, as Kelsey Mitchell is making a strong case for MVP honors, posting an even more productive 23.3 points per game average.

The elite scorer provided another reminder of her offensive ability by scoring a game-high 28 points during Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

While such numbers can make any coach's life easy, the Fever would naturally be in trouble if one of Clark, Mitchell, or even Aliyah Boston has an off day.

There are already examples present, as the Fever have conceded 100 or more points on nine occasions this season. One more 100-point game against them will set a new WNBA record for the number of times that has happened to a team.

The road only gets tougher, but if the Fever's offense can somehow overshadow their one major flaw, the road to the WNBA Finals will get only a bit easier.

So, do you think the Indiana Fever are favorites to win the WNBA championship this season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy