There is only one game of WNBA action on today’s Wednesday slate, as the Golden State Valkyries host the Las Vegas Aces. These teams sit in seventh and eighth place in the WNBA standings with a combined 29-28 record, and this is a game that will carry some weight in the standings. You can check out the full game preview on DK Network here for the match-up.
Las Vegas enters as a 4.5-point favorite and holds -218 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Valkyries hold +180 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 158.5.
But there are still plenty of ways to get involved in the action, even with just one game taking place. Here are my three favorite WNBA prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Valkyries vs. Aces game.
A’ja Wilson Over 9.5 Rebounds (-125)
A’ja Wilson has not quite lived up to her sky-high MVP standard this season, but is still producing beyond what most WNBA players can hope to. The Aces’ star is averaging 21.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game this season. Her rebounding numbers have been especially strong of late. Wilson is averaging 10.0 boards per game across her last nine matchups, recording over 9.5 in six of these and 12 of the 25 games overall this year.
The Golden State Valkyries are a friendly rebounding matchup in general, and this will be magnified with the team’s leading rebounder at 7.0 per game, Kayla Thornton, set to miss tonight. Even across the time that Thornton has been on the floor, Golden State ranks seventh in opponents’ rebounds allowed. The Valkyries attempt a WNBA-best 30.2 three-point attempts per game, which leaves plenty of rebounding opportunities.
Wilson has capitalized on this by pulling in 16 and 14 rebounds in her past two matchups with the Valkyries. Both of these matchups have taken place in the past month. This is an important game regarding the playoff standings, and count on the three-time MVP to lead the charge for the Aces. With Thornton out and the Valkyries already having struggled to keep Wilson off the glass, expect some strong numbers tonight. Count on the seven-time All-Star to pull in over 9.5 rebounds for the seventh time in the past 10 games and the third straight game against Golden State.
Jackie Young to Record 6+ Assists (+140)
The Aces made a notable change to their lineup by shifting Jewell Lloyd to a bench role four games ago. Since this time, Jackie Young has seen her play making numbers skyrocket as she has been tasked with running the offense at a more regular rate. She has tallied her three best assist outputs across this stretch with 10, 8, and 8 in three games while being held to three in the other. It is worth noting that Young played just 19 minutes in the matchup where she tallied just three assists and sat out the final 15+ minutes as the Aces trailed the Minnesota Lynx by 30+ points.
On the season overall, Young is averaging 16.7 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. She has tallied six or more assists in 10 of the 29 games overall, but this includes six of her last nine games. Young’s assist output was growing before the lineup change, and she will continue to see plenty more opportunities with Lloyd coming off the bench.
Golden State ranks second in the WNBA in opponents’ points per game, but this has more to do with them playing at the league’s slowest pace than direct high-level defense. Young is averaging 5.67 assists per game across her three matchups with the Valkyries thus far, recording six or more in two of the three games. With her level of opportunity expanding and production being evident, I am backing Young to record six or more assists for the seventh time in the past 10 games and third time against the Valkyries this year. Getting +140 odds is great value on DraftKings, and it is worth getting in early on this surge in production.
Tiffany Hayes to Record 2+ Made Three-Pointers (-105)
Tiffany Hayes missed the previous two games due to a lower leg injury, but has been upgraded to questionable ahead of tonight’s matchup. Her status is worth monitoring leading up to tip-off, but the expectation seems to be that she will play. Hayes will be in line for solid production if this is the case.
So far this season, Hayes is averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game across her 26.3 minutes per contest. She is connecting on 44.2% of her three-point attempts while launching 4.1 long-range shots per game. The former All-Star has made two or more three-pointers in 11 of the 19 games she has played, including shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the three-point arc in the lone matchup she was active against the Aces. She also has reached this total in four of her past seven games.
Las Vegas ranks fourth in opponents’ three-point attempts allowed but 11th in opponents’ three-point efficiency this year. There will also be more volume on the table for Hayes with Kayla Thornton missing. Thornton leads the team in three-point volume at 6.5 long-range shots per game. Hayes has plenty of WNBA experience and will be called upon to help steer the Valkyries through the final playoff push in their inaugural season. Expect her to step closer to the center stage tonight and be prepared to attack from beyond the arc. With Thornton missing, Hayes having recent success, and this being a friendly matchup, I like her chances of knocking down at least a pair of three-pointers tonight.
