WNBA action rolls along on Wednesday, and we get a potential first-round preview as a matinee matchup. The Minnesota Lynx, the top seed in the league, welcome the Los Angeles Sparks to town, who are looking to sneak in as the eighth seed or better down the stretch. It’s an interesting stylistic clash, one that will produce some fascinating results.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Lynx are a 12.5-point home favorite with -750 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. A Sparks upset is priced at +525, with the game total set at O/U 182.5 points.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Sparks-Lynx game.
Sparks vs. Lynx Preview
It has been a tumultuous time for the Los Angeles Sparks. With Kelsey Plum out, their season is beginning to go off the rails, and heads are beginning to roll. General manager Raegan Pebley now finds herself out of a job, and judging by the moves they’ve made in the past couple of seasons, you can’t blame management for making the change. But that’s not going to shift momentum in this season—only the players can do that.
Much falls on the veterans to step it up, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Los Angeles is second-to-last in defensive rating, and if they want to close the gap for a playoff spot, it has to improve. Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike shoulder a lot of the burden as the starting frontcourt, and the rotations haven’t been very crisp this season. Those two are crucial to their rebounding deficit; Los Angeles is 14th in total rebounding. Erica Wheeler has done an admirable job being a simulacrum of Plum, but she can only do so much to fill those MVP-level shoes, which are required to keep this offense on pace with their poor defense. If LA can’t pick up some wins without Plum, they might as well start planning for next season.
While the Sparks struggle, the Lynx continue to thrive. At 18-6, they are in pole position for the top seed in the WNBA playoffs and are close to welcoming back superstar Napheesa Collier. The starting lineup is thriving, and the team is top-two in both offensive and defensive ratings, resulting in the league’s top net rating. With this team firing on all cylinders, even the best teams struggle to stop them.
If things go to plan, the Lynx will pick up the win. But how can the Sparks make things not go to plan? Much of that starts with Ariel Atkins, who will be tasked with covering the overwhelming ROY favorite, Olivia Miles. If she can take away the easy stuff from Miles, that drastically improves their chances. Hamby and Ogwumike need to make noise against Minnesota’s starting frontcourt of Kayla McBride and Natasha Howard. If they can press the right buttons offensively and keep Miles from wrecking them with the ball in her hands, there’s a shot for the road upset.
Sparks vs. Lynx Pick, Best Bet
The odd thing about the Sparks is that they tend to set the pace for the game. The problem is that that pace doesn’t usually work in their favor. Minnesota won’t mind getting out and running, and their free-flowing offense can do some serious damage against this disjointed Sparks defense. Though the spread could be a challenge, the buckets will be flying regardless.
