The Minnesota Lynx hold rolling to begin the 2024 WNBA year, knocking off the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday evening to enhance to a Western Conference-best 7-2 on the time.
The Lynx have a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup matchup with the Phoenix Mercury on Friday evening, and Phoenix is looking to keep afloat with out Brittney Griner (foot/toe) in the lineup. The Mercury are coming off an unattractive decline to the Seattle Storm in which they shot just 4-for-23 from over and above the arc.
However, Phoenix is at dwelling in this sport – in which it is 3-1 this year – and must bounce again a minimal on offense after an all-time bad shooting game.
The Lynx are favored in this matchup, and they are a perfect 4- in opposition to the spread on the road so significantly in 2024.
Who has the edge in this Western Convention showdown?
Let us break down the most up-to-date odds, critical players to look at and my most effective guess for Friday night’s matchup:
Unfold
Moneyline
Complete
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook.
Lynx Harm Report
Mercury Injury Report
Minnesota Lynx
Napheesa Collier: A contender for the MVP award this season, Collier is averaging 21.8 details, 11. rebounds, 3.3 helps, 2.4 steals and 1.6 blocks for each match. The UConn item is clearly the No. 1 choice for the Lynx, but she’s revealed improvement as a passer this season, which is encouraging consider this group to the upcoming level. Collier will be a nightmare for the Mercury to deal with because Griner is nonetheless sidelined.
Phoenix Mercury
Kahleah Copper: A blockbuster trade this earlier offseason sent Copper to the Mercury, and she’s flourishing so far in 2024, averaging 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2. helps per game while capturing 39.4 per cent from further than the arc. The Mercury (eighth in offensive rating) will count greatly on Copper’s scoring all year.
There is no question that Phoenix has been a improved group at dwelling (3-1) compared to on the street (1-5), but I still am not offered on backing the Mercury in this matchup.
Minnesota has the No. 2 defensive rating and the No. 3 net ranking in the WNBA this time, and it need to make matters hard on the Mercury offense (eighth in ORTG, eighth in effective discipline target proportion) in this matchup.
The Mercury have been rolling with a 4-guard lineup (Copper, Natasha Cloud, Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham) with Griner out, and I think that could direct to them acquiring exposed by Collier and firm in the painted location.
The Lynx are the very best workforce in the league from the distribute – 8-1 – and they’ve gone a fantastic 3- ATS as a favored.
Even with oddsmakers now recognizing the Lynx as a top crew in the West, I assume they can operate away with this video game provided Phoenix’s up-and-down engage in to open up 2024.
Choose: Lynx -5.5 (-110)
Odds refresh periodically and are issue to adjust.
If you or a person you know has a gambling dilemma and desires help, connect with 1-800-GAMBLER.
Obtain Peter Dewey’s betting history in this article You can also abide by my day by day plays on BetStamp in this article.