There is an exciting slate of WNBA games on Friday night. Two matchups feature some of the league’s most intriguing teams. Let's take a look at those matchups and go over our best WNBA picks for Friday night.
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Friday’s Best WNBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtehighest-rated Sportsbook)
Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever
Some of the biggest names in the game will be squaring off in this matchup between the Wings and the Fever. These are two of the best offenses in the league, with Indiana ranked highest. And although Dallas' defense ranks in the top six of the league, they've had some struggles recently.
The Wings have failed to cover in four consecutive games. The biggest reason why is the 95.3 points per game (PPG) that they've allowed in that stretch. They've allowed 88+ points in six of their last nine games, which is well over their season average of 86.3 PPG. Indiana is an offense that can exploit their weaknesses as well.
Despite having one of the league’s lowest three-point allowed rates, Dallas has been allowing well over 30 three-point attempts per game in this recent stretch. While the Fever aren't necessarily the most three-point-reliant team in the league, they are the best at making them at nearly 40% this season. If the Fever get looks from deep, they can drain them and score a fair number of points on the Wings.
From a numbers standpoint, Dallas doesn't really exploit the biggest weakness in Indiana’s defense, which is their propensity to foul. However, in the only matchup between these two teams this season, Dallas attempted 24 free throws, which was five more than their season average.
Long-range shots for the Fever will be the difference in this game and propel them to a win and a cover. However, Dallas will get theirs offensively. I expect a high-scoring, back-and-forth game with the Fever coming out as comfortable winners.
Picks: Fever -6.5 (-115) & Over 186.5 Points (-110)
Portland Fire at Seattle Storm
This is already the fourth matchup of the year between these two teams that are both on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. It's been a season to forget for both squads that sit near the bottom of the standings -12th and 13th, respectively, in NET Rating.
Seattle's major flaw is on offense. They're in the bottom third of the league in each of the four major factors, and their high turnover rate typically makes it difficult for them to score. However, Portland is just as bad in that regard, meaning both teams are going to give each other a lot of transition attempts.
We have also seen these teams give up a lot of three-point attempts. In their matchup last week, 72 threes were attempted. This resulted in a 100-93 Portland win at home. With Seattle as the home team, we are likely to see them put up a better fight. Regardless, this should be another high-scoring affair that goes over the total.
Pick: Over 180.5 Points (-108)
