We’re heading towards the closing stages of the Unrivaled season. Friday’s slate brings us a matchup between the top and the bottom of the standings. The Laces are marching towards the top seed in the playoffs, while the Lunar Owls stumble through an injury-riddled season. But in Unrivaled, there’s no such thing as a foregone conclusion.
The Laces are 8.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Lunar Owls sit as +350 underdogs. The game total is set at 140.5 points. Let’s get into my prediction and pick for this Unrivaled matchup.
Laces vs. Lunar Owls Preview
The depth of this Laces team is unparalleled. Jackie Young and Alyssa Thomas were the locked-in stars they depend on, but there were some questions about the rest of the roster. Brittney Sykes is defending like a madman while shooting the cover off the ball, and it has changed the starting lineup’s outlook. Their bench has really come together around Naz Hillmon, providing a lot of versatility and lineup optionality for head coach Andrew Wade. It has produced some incredible results; the Laces have allowed the fewest points in the league and have the best overall point differential.
The Lunar Owls are not having a fun season. But they did have one of the most memorable moments of the year in their last game. Facing the defending champs, Rose BC, they got an all-time performance out of Marina Mabrey. Her 47 points included 27 in the first quarter and lit Philly Unrivaled on fire. She capped it off with a game-winner to erase the dire vibes that have dogged the Lunar Owls all season long.
Being a competitive team remains a tall order for this group, but when Mabrey goes off, there’s not much you can do to stop it. Her team will be hoping for a repeat performance on Friday.
Laces vs. Lunar Owls Pick
For those not familiar with the Caris LeVert wheel, let me enlighten you. There’s a running joke that LeVert spins a wheel before each game, deciding whether he’s going to be Michael Jordan or the worst player you’ve ever seen. Mabrey isn’t quite that severe in her volatility, but remains in the same vein.
I’m not confident that she can spin the wheel on the right landing spot again. With Brittney Sykes up in her face all night, it becomes considerably harder to change the game with her shot-making. The Laces can contain Mabrey well enough to make this a comfortable win.
