The Aces are hosting the Lynx on Thursday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Minnesota is favored by two points and this game carries a total of 164.5 points.
Below, I break down the matchup between the Aces and the Lynx and give a pick for the game.
Aces vs. Lynx preview, prediction
The Aces and Lynx go head-to-head Thursday night for a clash between arguably the two best teams in the WNBA. Minnesota is the No.1 seed at 32-8, while Las Vegas is the No.3 seed at 26-14. The Aces started the season average, but the club has been incredible recently, winning 12 straight games entering this matchup and ranking third in net rating since the All-Star break. A’ja Wilson has been brilliant during this time, leading the league with 28 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and the superstar’s incredible play has Wilson in the running for her fourth MVP award. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Wilson carries the second-best odds to win the award at +550.
However, the only player ahead of her in that category is the great Napheesa Collier from the Lynx with +175 odds. This season, the forward is the WNBA’s leading scorer and she leads the league in plus/minus. Collier recently returned from a seven-game absence due to an ankle injury and she hasn’t shown any signs of rust, averaging 23 PPG and leading Minnesota to a 3-1 record during this span.
Despite Collier missing some time, Minnesota still ranks first in net rating for the season and first since the All-Star break. Plus, while the Aces are red hot riding a 12-game winning streak, the team’s last defeat came at the hands of Collier and the Lynx, who beat Las Vegas by a whopping 53 points on August 2nd. This isn’t the only time Minnesota has embarrassed the Aces either, as in the second meeting of the season between these teams in late July, the Lynx won by 31 points. Overall, Minnesota is 3-0 vs. Las Vegas this season with a ridiculous 32.7-point margin of victory.
The Lynx’s 53-point beat down on the Aces back in early August clearly woke Las Vegas up, as the team hasn’t lost since, but have the Aces improved enough during this winning streak to finally defeat this league-best Minnesota team? That we will find out Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Aces vs. Lynx pick, best bet
While the Aces are on an outstanding run right now, the team still trails the Lynx in net rating since the All-Star break and it’s hard to ignore how much better Minnesota has been than Las Vegas when these teams have faced each other this season. The Aces do have the advantage in rest, as Las Vegas hasn’t played since last Wednesday, while the Lynx played this past Monday, but still, Minnesota simply is the better overall team and the club should spoil the Aces’ fun tonight by snapping the team’s winning streak.
With this game in Las Vegas and Minnesota only favored by two points, this marquee matchup has the potential to be a true nail biter, so investing in the Lynx on the moneyline is a smart move.
