In the final matchup of tonight’s three-game WNBA slate, the Golden State Valkyries will face off with the Dallas Wings.
Tonight will mark the second of three matchups between these two teams. They first faced off on June 17th, which resulted in a 91-80 win by the Valkyries.
Looking at the odds for tonight, the Wings enter as narrow 1.5-point favorites and hold -115 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Valkyries hold -105 odds of pulling off the upset, with the game total set at 162.5.
Let’s dive into a preview, prediction and pick for this Valkyries at Wings matchup.
Valkyries at Wings Preview
The Golden State Valkyries enter with a 21-9 record on the season, which slots them in third place in the WNBA. They enter this matchup coming off back-to-back wins, and they are 11-2 across their past 13. On the season, the Valkyries have gone 16-14 against the spread, and the game total is 15-15 to the over/under.
Gabby Williams headlines the production for Golden State, averaging 14.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Janelle Salaun adds 13.4 points and 3.8 rebounds off the bench, while shooting 40.5% on three-point attempts on a team-leading 6.3 three-point attempts per game. Veronica Burton contributes 12.2 points and a team-high 5.6 assists per game, while Kayla Thornton, Kiah Stokes, and Cecilia Zandalasini each also play key roles.
Golden State is scoring 82.9 points per game, which ranks 12th in the WNBA. They also rank seventh in offensive rating, 15th in field-goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage, while launching the most perimeter shots in the league. Defensively, opponents are averaging 77.1 points per game against Golden State, the lowest mark in the league. The Valkyries also rank first in defensive rating, first in opponent field-goal percentage, and sixth in opponent three-point percentage.
The Dallas Wings sit in fifth place in the WNBA with a 19-12 record on the year. They have hit a bit of a rough patch of late, losing to the Washington Mystics in the previous game and dropping four of their past six. On the season overall, the Wings have gone 15-16 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 17 of their 31 games played.
Paige Bueckers headlines the production for the Wings, with 20.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game on the season. Arike Ogunbowale adds 15.1 points while first overall pick Azzi Fudd contributes 13.1 points per game of her own. Jessica Shepard is responsible for the production on the interior, adding 14.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Maddy Siegrist, Awak Kuier, and Aziaha James also play key roles. Alysha Clark is the lone name listed on the injury report and is questionable for tonight’s matchup with a back issue.
Dallas is scoring 89.3 points per game, which ranks seventh in the WNBA. The Wings also rank fifth in offensive rating, fifth in field-goal percentage, and eighth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 85.5 points per game against the Wings, which ranks fourth in the league. Dallas also ranks sixth in defensive rating, eighth in opponent field-goal percentage, and fifth in opponent three-point percentage.
Valkyries at Wings Pick, Best Bet
The Valkyries produced a 91-80 win in the first matchup between these two teams. Each side extended a 12 point lead during the matchup, but Golden State led for 65% of the matchup. The rebounding battle was a key driving factor in this matchup, as the Valkyries out-rebounded the Wings 41-25.
The three-point battle will be a major factor in this matchup. Golden State leads the WNBA in three-point volume, attempting 30.6 per game, and ranks fifth in efficiency. They will face off with a Wings’ defense that ranks second in opponents’ three-point attempts allowed and fifth in opponents’ three-point percentage. On the other side of this three-point matchup, Dallas ranks ninth in three-point volume, eighth in three-point efficiency, and will be facing a Valkyries team that limits three-pointers at the fourth-best rate. In their first matchup, the Wings shot 9-for-22 (41%) from beyond the three-point arc, while the Valkyries were 12-for-25 (48%) on long-range attempts. This was the seventh-fewest three-point attempts Golden State has launched across each of their matchups this season.
Dallas has not been in strong form of late, and they will look to get back on track at home, where they are 9-5 straight up and 8-6 against the spread. However, Golden State’s defense has been high level all season, and this tends to travel when playing away games. The Valkyries have gone 8-5 straight up on the road this season and are 7-6 against the spread in these matchups. Golden State leads the WNBA in opponents’ points allowed while ranking first in defensive rating.
The Valkyries have won each of their last four games as underdogs, and underdogs have covered the spread in seven of the last eight Wings’ games. Dallas also has failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games against Western Conference opponents. Buy into the recent level of play for both sides and for the Valkyries to pick up the victory tonight. Not only has Golden State won 11 of their past 13, but they have covered the spread in eight of these. Expect the Valkyries’ defense and perimeter shooting to be the difference and for Golden State to pick up the victory on the road tonight.
