The Money Line: WNBA odds, predictions for Saturday, May 27
Dallas Wings (+6, -110)
Phoenix Mercury (-6, -110)
Total: 156
Though very early, this Dallas Wings team is showing it just might have a roster ready to compete now. Their last win, a 94-82 victory over the San Antonio Stars, was impressive for several reasons, even though it came against a winless team. After a back and forth affair, the Wings exploded in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Stars 33-13 and allowed just two made field goals in the final stanza. Karima Christmas-Kelly had 18 points to lead the team, followed by 17 points from both face of the organization Skylar Diggins-Smith and budding rookie Allisha Gray. Before you disregard this as just a win against a bad team, remember that Dallas gave the Lynx all they could handle last week in an 89-87 loss. A team that leads the league in offensive rebounding percentage and free throw attempts per game, the Wings are doing the little things that help teams be successful in the long run, though the loss of Courtney Paris to a knee injury could set them back quite a bit.
Their opponent is a team that, if anyone can figure them out, let me know. The Mercury are 2-2 on the year, with some head-scratching performances. After a poor showing in the season opener, they came out and smacked Indiana, struggled in a win against San Antonio, then dropped a home game to New York. To be fair, Phoenix was missing Diana Taurasi in the New York game, as the seven-time All-Star was serving a one game suspension for giving Dearica Hamby a forearm in the back of the head, but the team clearly is still trying to find their form. Last in the league in scoring with just 72 per game, Phoenix also ranks in the bottom third of the WNBA in field goal percentage, three point percentage, rebounds per game and effective field goal percentage, in addition to being dead last in offensive rebounding percentage and rebounding percentage.
A home game with the return of Taurasi should be a big boost, and I think Phoenix will actually win this game, but I’m going to take Dallas here with the six points, and I’ll take the under.