Tonight's WNBA schedule gets underway at 5:00 p.m. ET with the Atlanta Dream hosting the Seattle Storm, followed by a pair of games at 10:00 p.m. ET - the Indiana Fever versus the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces versus the Portland Fire. The following are my best WNBA picks for Thursday, July 9th.
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Thursday’s Best WNBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream
This game should be an easy win for Atlanta, but with how both teams have been playing, I'm not so sure. Atlanta has lost five in a row and had one of the league's worst offenses and defenses during that stretch. Seattle, on the other hand, is 3-2 in that stretch with wins over Atlanta and the New York Liberty.
You can blame injuries to a point, but the bottom line on Atlanta is this: They are completely out of sync. They are a talented team getting outplayed by lesser squads. That said, I'm not confident enough in Seattle to even suggest they can win this one outright, but they will not lose by 10+ points.
Pick: Storm +10.5 (-108)
Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury
Indiana has not been great when at a rest disadvantage this season, going 2-3 outright in those games. Having to play back-to-back nights after facing a fast-paced team like the Sparks last night doesn't help. Phoenix last played on Tuesday, losing 77-66 to Chicago.
These two teams split a pair of recent games, with Indiana winning the first (June 22nd) by nine points and losing the second (June 24th) by two points.
Phoenix will look like the better team in the first half and probably hold a modest lead at the break. But Indiana is the better team of the two. It may not happen until late in the fourth quarter, but the Fever will eventually pull ahead and secure a win against a Phoenix team they should beat.
Pick: Indiana Moneyline (-105)
Las Vegas Aces vs. Portland Fire
Portland has had some moments, but most lately have not been positive. Prior to the win over Seattle on July 4th, the Fire had lost four of its previous five, giving up 100+ points in each of those losses. However, Las Vegas has not been the unstoppable force fans know and love.
If A’ja Wilson is out (listed as questionable), the offense will suffer, but the team has enough talent to beat Portland if Wilson can’t go. But can they cover an 8.5-point spread? I'm leaning toward yes because Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd can pick up the slack in Wilson's absence (if she's out), given how poorly the Fire have been playing on the defensive end.
Pick: Aces -8.5 (-114)
