Lynx are unanimous favorite

WNBA PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

Before the WNBA's 16th season opens Friday, our contributors make their picks for which players and teams might stand out in 2012. The predicted playoff teams are listed in order of expected finish in conference play. ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo abstained from predicting the playoff squads.

	Rebecca Lobo	Michelle Smith	Mechelle Voepel
MVP	Seimone Augustus Minnesota	Sylvia Fowles Chicago	Sylvia Fowles Chicago
Rookie of Year	Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles	Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles	Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles
Defensive Player	Tamika Catchings Indiana	Tina Charles Connecticut	Sylvia Fowles Chicago
Most Improved	Epiphanny Prince Chicago	Maya Moore Minnesota	Alexis Gray-Lawson Phoenix
All-WNBA First Team	Tina Charles Candace Parker Seimone Augustus Diana Taurasi Sue Bird	Sylvia Fowles Seimone Augustus Tamika Catchings Diana Taurasi Angel McCoughtry	Sylvia Fowles Tina Charles Candace Parker Diana Taurasi Angel McCoughtry
Champion	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota
WNBA Finals matchup	Connecticut vs. Minnesota	Chicago vs. Minnesota	Connecticut vs. Minnesota
East playoff teams		Chicago Indiana Atlanta Connecticut	Connecticut Indiana Chicago Atlanta
West playoff teams		Minnesota Los Angeles Seattle Phoenix	Minnesota Los Angeles Seattle San Antonio
Best regular-season record	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota