The Phoenix Mercury have superstar sniper Diana Taurasi back on the floor after she made he regular season debut last week, but the Washington Mystics and defending champion Seattle Storm will have to overcome the losses of some of their missing superstars in order to pick up victories this coming week. Let’s find out what’s going down in the league and where the WNBA betting value lies for the coming week of action.
Top WNBA Betting Picks of the Week – July 15th Edition
Seattle Storm (10-8) at Minnesota Lynx (10-7)
- When: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET
- Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
- TV: NBATV
Analysis: Seattle has won two straight including its 78-69 home win over New York on Sunday. Natasha Howard scored 14 points a day after abuse allegations were raised against her. Crystal Langhorne came off the bench to lead the Storm with a team-high 19 points while draining a career-high four 3-pointers.
Minnesota has won four of five heading into the new week including a thorough 75-62 dismantling of Phoenix at home on Sunday. Future Hall of Famer, Sylvia Fowles set a WNBA record with her 157th career double-double and she finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way to victory. Odyssey Sims scored a team-high 15 points in the win while Napheesa Collier added 14 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.
Prediction
Minnesota is a solid 6-3 at home this season while Seattle has gone an uninspiring 3-5 on the road. Despite winning two straight, the Storm are banged-up and without two of their best players in league MVP Breanna Stewart and future Hall of Fame point guard Sue Bird. Minnesota will look to send a message to the defending champs and they will by delivering at home!
WNBA Betting Pick: Minnesota 76 Seattle 72
Washington Mystics (9-6) at Indiana Fever (6-12)
- When: Friday, July 19, 2019 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Analysis: Washington has dropped three straight including an 85-81 home loss against Las Vegas on Saturday as superstar forward Elena Delle Donne sat out her third straight game with a nasal fracture. All five starters scored in double digits, but it wasn’t enough to overcome 46 combined points by Liz Cambridge, A’ja Wilson and Kayla McBride.
Indiana has also dropped three in a row and seven of their last eight games overall including a humbling 76-63 smackdown at the hands of Connecticut on Sunday. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 14 points, but Indiana never led after losing the first quarter by five points and getting outscored by 10 points in the third quarter.
Prediction
Washington might be without its best player in Elena Delle Donne, but I still like the Mystics to get it done in this one seeing as how Indiana allows 1.7 points per game more than they average (77.1 ppg). Back Washington to improve on its solid 5-3 road mark while Indy fails to improve on its uninspiring 2-7 home mark.
Pick: Washington 79 Indiana 75
Phoenix Mercury (7-8) at Dallas Wings (5-11)
- When: Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET
- Where: College Park Center, Arlington, TX
Analysis: Phoenix might have gotten back superstar Diana Taurasi as she made her season debut on Friday night after recovering from offseason back surgery, but it wasn’t enough to help the Mercury overcome a humbling 75-62 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. DeWanna Bonner led the Mercury with 27 points and Brittney Griner added 12 points but Odyssey Sims, Sylvia Fowles and Napheesa Collier combined for 43 points to lead the Lynx to victory.
Dallas has lost two straight and four of five including a 89-79 loss to Chicago on Sunday. Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 20 points and Isabelle Harrison had 15, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a season-high 26 points from Chicago floor leader Diamond DeShields.
Prediction
Dallas might be playing at home, but Phoenix will finally get its first win of the season with Diana Taurasi back on the floor. The Mercury are statistically better at both ends of the floor and Dallas just doesn’t have enough talent on their roster to keep pace with a Phoenix team I expect to be super hungry in this affair. The Mercury win to get back to .500 for the season.
WNBA Betting Pick: Phoenix 76 Dallas 71
