There are only two WNBA games tonight, as the Valkyries battle the Lynx and the Dream face the Sparks. Both contests feature rematches from last week. Below, I explain why I expect the Valkyries to keep things close this time around against the Lynx. Then, I highlight why the Sparks are in for another tough performance against the Dream. Here are the best WNBA picks for Monday, August 24th.
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Monday's Best WNBA Picks & Bets
(Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook)
Golden State Valkyries at Minnesota Lynx
The Valkyries and Lynx played just five days ago, and the Lynx had no trouble taking care of business. They held the Valkyries to just 32% shooting from the floor, on their way to a 77-66 road victory. The Lynx are now 3-0 against the Valkyries, with two of those victories coming by at least six points.
However, Courtney Williams is going to miss this game for the Lynx, and I think it'd be foolish to underestimate just how important she is to her team. While she only managed nine points in last Wednesday's win, she still dished out seven assists. And in her other two games against the Valkyries this season, Williams scored a total of 38 points while grabbing 19 total rebounds.
The Lynx have won six consecutive games and 16 of their last 17 overall. While I expect them to win again tonight, I think oddsmakers are overvaluing them a bit. After all, five of their last 16 wins were by five or fewer points.
I've already mentioned Williams' absence, but I'll highlight it again here. While she's the fifth-leading scorer on the Lynx, she's still averaging 14.4 points per game, and she is third on the team with 5.1 rebounds per contest. But this is only one reason I'm backing the under.
There is also the fact that the Valkyries have the league’s best defense. They're allowing just 76.6 points per game, which is 6.1 points fewer than any other team. The Lynx are also great defensively. They rank third, allowing just 83.4 points per game.
And while the Lynx are one of the best offensive teams in the league, averaging 92.2 points per game, the Valkyries are averaging the third-fewest points in the WNBA. They've scored 75 or fewer points in two of their three games against the Lynx.
With the Lynx a little shorthanded, I'll back the under, especially considering the total is posted 16.5 points higher than the final score of the last meeting between these two.
Picks: Valkyries +5.5 (-115) & Under 159.5 Points (-105)
Atlanta Dream at Los Angeles Sparks
The Dream and Sparks met last Thursday, and the Dream absolutely dominated. The final score was 124-88, and the Dream shot 64% from the field and 62% from beyond the three-point line. And while you might call that performance a fluke, I can't bring myself to believe in a Sparks defense that has been bad all season.
The Sparks are allowing 92.9 points per game, which is the second-most in the league. Opponents are making 47.9% of their shots from the floor and 9.3 three-point field goals per contest.
The Dream are shooting just 44.2% as a team this season. While that's fourth-worst in the league, the Dream have already proven that they can overachieve against the lackluster Sparks. Not only did they shoot lights out in their most recent meeting against Los Angeles, but the Dream also shot 49% in their other meeting against the Sparks this season. They won that game 101-92.
Pick: Dream Team Total Over 95.5 Points (-122)
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.