Every day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down each game on the whiteboard, taking note of everything from injuries and roster changes to recent trends and more.
All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. The times are ET.
Here’s what to look for during today’s whiteboard:
Chicago Sky in New York Liberty
2:00 p.m., Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Line: Sky (-7)
money line: Sky (-320), Freedom (+250)
Total: 159 points
BPI Earning %: Heaven (61.9%)
Discarded: DiDi Richards (hamstring)
Fantasy needs to know: The Sky defeated the Liberty the last time these two teams met on May 11. Chicago comes into the game with an 8-4 record, following a big win over the Connecticut Sun. The Sky rank sixth in offensive rating (101.9), fourth in PPG (81.8) and sixth in RPG (34.8). The Liberty (5-8) have won two straight and the offense has looked great in each led by Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu is one of four WNBA players who lead her team in PPG and APG. Candace Parker, Emma Meesseman, Courtney Vandersloot, and Kahleah Copper are must-have fantasy choices for Sky. Rebekah Gardner (95% available) and Azura Stevens (50.5% available) are excellent choices for streaming. Gardner has averaged 18 fantasy points per game in her last four games, while Stevens has averaged 15.6 fantasy points per game in her last three games. Ionescu and Natasha Howard are the best fantasy options for Liberty. Han Xu (77.9% available) is one of my favorite Liberty streamers. Xu has scored 20 or more fantasy points in each of the last two games. –Eric Moody
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Best Bet: Sky (-7.0). Although the Liberty have been playing well lately, they still rank 11th in offensive rating (94.4) this season. His defense has allowed 81.7 PPG and he may struggle against Sky. — Grumpy
Seattle Storm at Dallas Wings
4 p.m., College Park Center, Arlington
Line: Storm (-4)
money line: Storm (-180), Wings (+155)
Total: 159 points
BPI Earning %: Wings (50.5%)
Discarded: Marina Mabrey
Fantasy needs to know: These two teams played last Friday and the Wings outscored the Storm 29-23 in the fourth quarter, but still lost by one point. Dallas (6-6) has lost two straight and ranks third in offensive rating (102.2) and eighth in defensive rating (101.6). The Wings also play at one of the slowest tempos in the WNBA.
The Storm (7-5) have won their last two games and held the Atlanta Dream to 60 points in a 12-point victory last Tuesday. The Storm ranks 8th in offensive rating (96.9) and 2nd in defensive rating (94.7).
Arike Ogunbowale, Allisha Gray, Isabelle Harrison, Satou Sabally, and Kayla Thornton (76% available) should all be included in Wings’ fantasy rosters, while Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, Ezi Magbegor, and Sue Bird are must-starts for Storm.
Stewart has been dominant all season, averaging a fantasy 40.2 points per game. Gabby Williams is an excellent broadcaster who has averaged 18.2 fantasy points per game over the last five games. — Grumpy
Best bet: more than 159 points. The first game didn’t feature much defensive play, and the same will apply in this game. The total was 177 on Friday and should be even higher this time. The Wings realize that their defense isn’t strong enough to hold off Storm, so they are likely to force a high-scoring game. — Grumpy
Phoenix Mercury at Washington Mystics
6:00 p.m., Sports and Entertainment Arena, Washington, DC
Line: Mystics (-7.5)
money line: Mystics (-380), Mercury (+300)
Total: 160.5 points
BPI Earning %: Mystics (60.3%)
Questionable: Elena Delle Donne
Discarded: Sophie Cunningham (elbow)
Fantasy needs to know: The five Mercury starters are included in at least 85% of the leagues and play big minutes, limiting the roster’s broadcast opportunities. Shey Peddy (94.1% available) is the best streaming option on the team, with back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts under her belt. He could see his minutes increase with Cunningham out, and Peddy showed during the first part of the season that he can produce consistently when given starting minutes. In his first five games, he scored four starts and averaged 10.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG and 1.2 3PG at 24.0 MPG.
Elena Delle Donne has missed two of the last three matches due to back pain. While she’s listed as likely for Sunday, it’s unclear if she’ll play her typical minutes. Myisha Hines-Allen (19.9% available) started both games Delle Donne sat out this week and averaged 15.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 2.0 APG on 21.5 MPG. If Delle Donne returns, Hines-Allen could see her minutes drop, as Alysha Clark (67.9% available) and rookie Shakira Austin have filled the other two starting slots. –Andre Snellings
Best bet: more than 160.5 points. The Mercury have rediscovered their scoring touch lately, averaging 87.7 PPG in their last three starts. The Mystics have averaged 80.3 PPG in their last three. Both teams have combined with their opponents to exceed 160 points in two of their last three outings, including games against three of the WNBA’s top defensive teams (Dream, Sky and Sun). –Snellings
Indiana Fever in Minnesota Lynx
7 p.m., Target Center, Minneapolis
Line: Lynx (-2)
money line: Lynx (-130), Fever (+110)
Total: 165 points
BPI Earning %: Lynx (77.7%)
Questionable: Emily Engstler (rib), Kayla McBride (foot)
Discarded: Sylvia Fowles (knee)
Fantasy needs to know: Emily Engstler (60.4% available) is listed as a playing time decision for Sunday. The Fever are skinny up front and recently signed veteran Emma Cannon to add depth. If Engstler can’t play, she could lead to more minutes for NaLyssa Smith and Victoria Vivians (30.5% available). The Fever could also decide to lean more into their backcourt, going with three-guard sets to let Destanni Henderson, Bria Hartley and Tiffany Mitchell run more. Kayla McBride is also a decision when it comes to the game. If McBride sits out, she could provide opportunities for Moriah Jefferson (81.8% available) and Rachel Banham (98.5% available) to get more playing time. Banham averaged 8.0 PPG, 4.3 APG, 2.7 RPG and 1.3 3PG in her three starts in place of Jefferson last week. Damiris Dantas (64.8% available) made her season debut on Friday, starting in place of Sylvia Fowles. She was understandably rusty, but she scored nine points, showing that she can produce in the future. –Snellings
2 related
Best bet: Fever +2.0.Fowles’ absence is massive. In the last two Lynx games, including the one in which Fowles left early and the first game he missed, the Lynx lost to the Liberty and Mystics by a combined 36 points. The Fever is a rebuilding team that has been competitive this season, drawing big contributions from its four first-round picks and young forward. They should have the upper hand in this game. –Snellings
Source: www.espn.com