Three games in four days are a rarity in the WNBA. The Phoenix Mercury are handling it with aplomb. Saturday’s contest with the Chicago Sky gives them a chance to go three-for-three.
Phoenix is rolling on the heels of renewed health. Alyssa Thomas is over her calf injury, and Kahleah Copper is back in the fold. On the strength of a four-game winning streak, its starting to separate from the rest of the pack in the Western Conference. It may prove to be a two-team race in the West between Phoenix and the Minnesota Lynx.
Things haven’t been as pleasant for the Chicago Sky. Sitting at 3-8 and losers of four of the last five, their hopes of a playoff push are dying by the day. Already, they’re a game and a half back of the fourth-seeded Washington Mystics, a much more cohesive squad. This season is headed for disappointment unless head coach Tyler Marsh can find new buttons to press.
The Mercury are eight-point favorites on the road and are -360 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 158 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this contest.
Mercury vs. Sky Prediction
The gulf between these teams cannot be overstated. The Mercury have a defense beginning to gel, and a versatile offensive trio in AT, Kah, and Satou Sabally. The role players can hit shots, and there’s rotational size to go around. It’s an especially strong formula for beating teams like the Sky.
The defense alone is enough to suffocate the Sky. Chicago is 12th out of 13 teams in offense and struggling to find an identity. On top of that, the Mercury have the kind of offense that will cause significant problems for a defense lacking in quality. An eight-point line on the road is significant, but I don’t think it is sufficient for these two teams.
Mercury vs. Sky Pick
Phoenix Mercury -8 (-110)
I do not trust the Sky to lose by single digits right now. Six of their eight losses this season have been by double digits. Interestingly, one of those losses was a 94-89 loss to these same Mercury. That was also a game where Phoenix was missing Kahleah Copper, and the Sky still had Courtney Vandersloot.
I’m not counting on a competitive game from the Sky in this one. Phoenix will keep the good times rolling, and Chicago will have more questions to answer.
