Early in the season, many fans pegged Rose as the title favorite. For starters, Rose opened 3-0, and Chelsea Gray scored at will, so the pick felt obvious. However, as the regular season winds down, Rose sits in fifth place at 5-6, while the Laces have surged past the field to take the No. 1 seed.
With the playoffs set to start Feb. 28, most teams have only 2 to 3 games left. The top of the bracket is already locked in, too. The Laces hold the No. 1 seed, the Phantom sit No. 2, and the Mist are No. 3, with all three teams already clinching playoff spots. Still, Rose has been the surprise of the season, and its spot in fifth has left plenty of fans wondering why the preseason favorite has struggled to stay near the top.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Undoubtedly, the Laces look like the favorites to close the regular season. They have allowed the fewest total points in the league at 720, and they own an 81.8 winning percentage. As a result, they have been tough to beat all season. They also have not lost in February and they carry a three-game winning streak.
Still, the No. 2 Phantom look ready to make noise in the playoffs. They sit just one game back of the top seed, and they are riding a four-game winning streak, the longest in the league. On top of that, they have two top-10 producers in Kelsey Plum and Aliyah Boston, so defenses cannot key on just one scorer.
The numbers back up both teams, and fans are eager for what comes next. Now the big question is this: Who will become the second champion in Unrivaled history?
Unrivaled: Phantom Becomes Second Team To solidify A Playoff Spot
Jesse Vanderveer is a basketball reporter and writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @JesseVanderveer22
