The first of two WNBA games on Friday’s slate is between the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky. It should be a fairly lopsided matchup with the teams at opposite ends of the standings.
The Dream are 6-3, trailing just the Liberty and Lynx, The Sky are 2-6 and ahead of the Sun and Wings. Despite the losing record, Chicago remains relevant with Angel Reese in the lineup.
Regardless of her stats, she’s one of the most popular players in the WNBA. Unfortunately, this hasn’t led to many wins for Chicago.
The Sky are 12-point underdogs on Friday against the Dream, and the game total is set at 157.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here’s my prediction and pick for Friday’s Dream vs. Sky matchup.
Dream vs. Sky prediction
There’s not much to like about the Sky’s performance this season. They have the second worst point differential (-13.5) and the third worst record (2-6) in the WNBA. They will play on the road against the Dream, who have the third best point differential (+5.4) and record (6-3).
Atlanta has a balanced team with Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard in the backcourt and Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner in the frontcourt. It’ll be a major challenge for the Sky to stop all four.
Chicago features Reese and Kamilla Cardoso in the frontcourt, but both players are still developing. They project as a solid future duo, but that seems to be a couple years away. Atlanta’s frontcourt is built for right now, and it’s showcasing that in the 2025 season.
Dream vs. Sky pick, best bet
Even with a 12-point spread, it’s hard to side with the Sky. There’s very few positives this season, and they’re set to face a talented and balanced Atlanta team.
That being said, a 12-point spread is also not favorable for the Dream. Although they should win easily, 12 points is still a large margin. It leaves little room for error, which is always possible in a regular season matchup.
Instead, I prefer taking Angel Reese to record a double-double. It’s valued at -110 and takes the game outcome off the table. Reese has grabbed double-digit boards in six of eight games and had double-doubles in four of eight.
The two games she had less than 10 rebounds, she finished with nine. The bet is essentially a bet for her to hit double-digit points because 10+ rebounds is almost a lock for her. Reese is one of the best rebounders in the league and often grabs multiple offensive boards from her own misses.
Her scoring certainly needs work, but the ball is in her hands often — whether that’s for an initial shot or via a rebound.