WNBA Betting Picks & Predictions of the Week – September 3rd

With the 2018 WNBA playoffs heading to a decisive fifth game in both semifinal matchups, now is a perfect time to offer up a pair of expert WNBA betting picks on the two teams I am expecting to meet in this year’s WNBA Finals. In one series, the Atlanta Dream will look to fight off Elena Delle Donne and the visiting Washington Mystics while the Seattle Storm hope to avoid becoming the first team in league history to blow a 2-0 lead in the other semifinal matchup? Now, let’s find out what’s likely to go down in both matchups.

WNBA Betting Picks & Predictions of the Week – September 3rd Edition

Tuesday will be EPIC. Two winner-take-all Game 5s to decide who goes to the #WNBAFinals!@AtlantaDream vs. @WashMystics: 8 PM ET on ESPN2@SeattleStorm vs. @PhoenixMercury: 10 PM ET on ESPNews & @NBATV pic.twitter.com/IYqDYh4bcU

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 3, 2018

Washington Mystics (25-14) at Atlanta Dream (25-13)

When: Tuesday, September 4 at 8:00 PM ET Where: McCamish Pavilion TV: ESPN2 WNBA Odds: Atlanta -8.5 Analysis: Washington won their Game 4 matchup against Atlanta 97-86 on Sunday to even their best of five series at 2-2. The Mystics got superstar forward Elena Delle Donne back on the court for Sunday’s season-saving win and she did not disappoint by putting up 15 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes. The perennial all-star suffered a bone bruise in her left knee in Tuesday’s 78-75, Game 2 loss to the Dream. Delle Donne then sat out Friday’s 81-76 Game 3 loss. Delle Donne, the league’s 2015 MVP, had 27 points, 14 rebounds and six assists when she was injured. She also put up a game-high 32 points to lead Washington to an 87-84 Game 1 victory on Sunday. Prediction Both teams in this matchup have four double-digit scorers on their roster, but only one team has an MVP-caliber superstar leading them and that’s Washington. The Mystics have gone 11-8 on the road this season while Atlanta has gone 14-5 at home. The Mystics have won six of the last 10 meetings between these rivals and they are the slightly better statistical team at both ends of the floor. I know the Dream has gone 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games and 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games overall, but Washington has gone 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games and I believe they are going to be super confident in Game 5 despite being on the road because they’ll have the best player on the floor in Elena Delle Donne. Even if Washington doesn’t win outright (they will), there’s no way the Mystics fail to cover the spread as an insane 8.5-point road dog. WNBA Betting Pick: Washington 83 Atlanta 80

Phoenix Mercury (2-16) at Seattle Storm (28-10)

When: Tuesday, September 4 at 10:00 PM ET WNBA Odds: Seattle -4 Where: KeyArena TV: ESPNews Analysis: Seattle took Game 1, 91-87 and Game 2 by an identical score, although that contest went to overtime. Phoenix picked up an emphatic 86-66 home win in Game 3 and thrilling 86-84 ‘Instant Classic’ win over Seattle in their Game 4 showdown on Sunday. “It’s good basketball,” Mercury center Brittney Griner said after Sunday’s Game 4 win. The Storm set a record for points in a quarter with 31 in the first period and Seattle led by as much as 17 early in the second quarter, but that’s about the time a game-changing collision changed the momentum in Game 4 when Seattle point guard Sue Bird’s nose and teammate Breanna Stewart’s elbow came together and caused Bird to suffer a broken bone in his nose. It is the fifth time Bird has suffered a broken nose. The veteran floor general vowed afterward that she would play in Game 5 on Tuesday. Prediction With the home team winning every game in this series so far, I’m going to urge you to back the Seattle Storm to hold it down in another absolute thriller. Seattle has won four of the last six meetings overall and they’ve been the best team in the WNBA all season long. Phoenix is a blistering 20-8 ATS in their last 28 road games, but Seattle has gone an encouraging 1607 ATS in their last 23 games overall.  While both of these rivals average just over 86 points per game this season, Seattle is just a bit better defensively and I think, ultimately, that will be the difference in this matchup. WNBA Betting Pick: Seattle 87 Phoenix 82