Four games of WNBA action are taking place across the Sunday slate. The postseason is inching closer, and the FIBA break is just about to kick off before the playoffs take full swing.
Looking at today’s matchups, the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream will open up the WNBA action with the opening tip scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET. Two hours later, the Los Angeles Sparks will face off with the Seattle Storm before the Golden State Valkyries challenge the Portland Fire at 7:10 p.m. ET. Lastly, the Dallas Wings will host the Connecticut Sun in an 8:40 start.
With plenty of action on the table, there are several ways to get involved on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are my top player props for tonight’s WNBA slate.
Top WNBA Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Dominique Malonga Over 28.5 Points & Rebounds (-115)
The Seattle Storm will be facing off with the Los Angeles Sparks, leaving plenty of room for production for Dominique Malonga and the rest of this Storm squad. Los Angeles has slipped to 14-25 on the season, and it ranks 14th in opponent points allowed, 13th in defensive rating and dead last in opponent field-goal percentage. The Sparks have also struggled on the glass, ranking 14th in rebounds per game and 13th in opponent rebounds allowed.
Enter Dominique Malonga, who has been a force on the interior for Seattle all year. The 6-foot-6 center is posting averages of 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game on the season overall. She has tallied over 28.5 combined points and rebounds in 11 games this season, and she is averaging 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds across her past 14 games played. Malonga is coming off back-to-back subpar performances based on her All-Star standard. The 20-year-old was limited to 30 points and 12 rebounds combined across her past two games while shooting below her average field-goal percentage on the season in both games.
But this is a great chance to break out of this and put forth an impressive stat line tonight. Both of these teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, but you would not know this based on the intensity that Malonga plays with. Los Angeles is vulnerable on the glass, so count on the Seattle star to assert herself on the interior and pave the way to plenty of easy put-back opportunities. Malonga continues to climb the ranks as one of the most dynamic players in the WNBA, and expect her to put forth an impressive output tonight, eclipsing 28.5 combined points and rebounds against a vulnerable Sparks team with no answer for her combination of size, athleticism and skill.
Veronica Burton to Record 18+ Points (+217)
Prepare for some unfamiliar faces and rotations in the Golden State Valkyries vs. Portland Fire matchup today. The looming FIBA break is hitting each of these teams hard, with several notable players already sidelined. Golden State is set to be without Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaün, the team’s two top scorers. In addition, Cecilia Zandalasini will also be preparing for the FIBA World Cup while Iliana Rupert will miss the remainder of the season due to her upcoming pregnancy. On the other side of the matchup, the Portland Fire have listed six players on their injury report, headlined by their two top scorers, Carla Leite, while Karlie Samuelson is listed as questionable with a knee injury. Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin and Luisa Geiselsoder have all been ruled out for the remainder of the year, while Frieda Buhner is preparing to represent Germany in the World Cup.
Someone has to score the ball in this matchup, and Veronica Burton is my favorite candidate to step up. The 26-year-old is posting averages of 12.4 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the three-point arc this season. The standard scoring total for Burton is set at 13.5, with the over favored at -130 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. But I am pushing this margin even further and backing Burton to score 18+ points tonight.
The Fire rank 13th in the WNBA in opponent points per game, allowing 91.2 points per contest, and they also rank 14th in defensive rating. Burton is averaging 9.4 field-goal attempts per game on the season, but expect a significant leap in her volume of shot attempts given the missing players. She has scored 25 points in a game twice this year and 20+ points in four games. Expect the Valkyries to lean on Burton at a higher rate than they have all season without Williams and Salaun, and for the 5-foot-9 guard to take advantage of these chances. Count on 18+ points to be a comfortable bar to clear and for Burton to deliver tonight given the circumstances and matchup.
Paige Bueckers Over 21.5 Points (-107)
Paige Bueckers is quickly shining as one of the brightest stars in the WNBA and has especially been on a tear as of late. The former number one overall pick is posting averages of 20.6 points, 5.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds on the season and 21.9 points per game across her past 22. She has tallied over 21.5 points in 19 of her 37 games overall, including five of her past seven games played.
Bueckers and the Wings will face off with the Connecticut Sun tonight, who sit in 14th place in the WNBA with a 10-29 record on the season. Connecticut has actually taken some steps forward defensively this season, but it still ranks ninth in the league in opponent points allowed and 10th in defensive rating. Bueckers has faced off with this Sun team twice already this season. She scored 25 in the first matchup, but she was limited to a season-low six points on 3-for-9 shooting in the most recent matchup. This was partially due to the game already being a blowout, as Dallas cruised to a 20-point win in which no member of the Wings needed to score more than 15 points.
But expect a different outlook today as Dallas continues to navigate the loss of Azzi Fudd, who will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery. This has put even more offensive responsibility onto Bueckers’ plate, and this is an important matchup for Dallas as it attempts to stick with the Liberty and Mystics in the standings. Bueckers is averaging 23.1 points on 17.0 field-goal attempts across her past seven games, shooting 51.3% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the three-point arc. Expect her to remain hot in this favorable matchup and for Bueckers to deliver for this Wings team again tonight.
