The Atlanta Dream are rolling on their way into Thursday’s contest. The same cannot be said for the Chicago Sky.
Atlanta, winners of five of their last six, have jumped up to the third seed in the WNBA playoff race. Their All-Star backcourt and excellent defensive frontcourt have fueled a strong two-way game. Coach Karl Smesko has positioned them with a top-four offensive and defensive rating. They don’t have the elite talent other contenders possess, but their depth and balance make them a serious playoff threat.
Meanwhile, the Sky are in a free fall. Their win against the Mystics ended an eight-game losing streak, but things won’t be getting better. They’re well outside the playoff race, and with Angel Reese injured for the foreseeable future, there’s little reason to hope for better down the stretch run.
The Dream are eight-point favorites on the road and hold -440 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 157.5 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this Dream-Sky contest.
Sky vs. Dream prediction, pick
Atlanta has an excellent offense but the team likes to play at a slow pace. They use up a lot of the shot clock and prefer to let their bigs, Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner, get set in the half-court. But that should work well against a Sky defense struggling to stop much of anything. Chicago has the worst defensive rating this side of the Connecticut Sun.
On top of that, they have an incredible defense. Brittney Griner patrols the paint better than most and Brionna Jones is a versatile chess piece on that end as well. Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada are all capable perimeter defenders. Without Reese, the Sky will be reliant on Ariel Atkins and Rachel Banham to create a lot of their offense. Kamilla Cardoso, who is on a roll, will be asked to carry a heavy load. Dealing with Jones and Griner is too tall of a task for her.
The deck is stacked against Chicago. Atlanta will roll through this one with ease.
