This WNBA season has been full of surprises. The struggles of the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics are not among them.
Dallas hit the lottery, literally and figuratively, in getting Paige Bueckers this past draft. She’s been excellent and is a runaway favorite for the Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the Wings, it hasn’t translated to much winning. At 3-11, any hopes of making the playoffs have gone out the window. The rebuild will have to go on a bit longer.
Washington’s rebuild will also take some time. Getting the second and third picks in the last draft was a significant step. Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron have both been as advertised, and will be major pieces of the next Washington playoff team. That may come this year in a weak Eastern Conference, but as the four-seed in all likelihood. Even if it’s one-and-done, it would be a big step nonetheless.
The Mystics are 3.5-point favorites at home and are -166 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 164.5 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this contest.
Wings vs. Mystics Prediction
With a -3.5 home line for the Mystics, the implication is that these teams are very close together in quality. But I don’t believe that to be the case.
Washington’s rookie duo has been excellent out of the gate. Brittney Sykes, known for her tough defense, has taken a big step offensively, while Jade Melbourne continues to knock down shots. This team may not be a serious contender in the playoffs, but it has a degree of cohesion the Wings have not yet achieved. I am far more confident in this Mystics team on a night-to-night basis.
Wings vs. Mystics Pick
Washington Mystics -3.5 (-110)
If there’s one thing Washington can do at an average to above-average level, it’s defending guards. Sykes and Citron are a solid duo who can chase around screens and contain in isolation. That bodes well against the duo of Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.
Additionally, this Wings team cannot defend and has little paint presence. That bodes well for Kiki Iriafen in the post and Sykes on the drive. That’s enough for me to pick the Mystics in this contest. As a cherry on top, the Mystics have yet to lose to a team below .500 other than the Las Vegas Aces. They can beat who’s in front of them, which will continue on Sunday.
