Three interconference battles take shape as part of Friday’s WNBA
slate, including two matchups broadcast on NBA TV. The ‘over’ looks
to have the best value across the night’s betting board.
Streaking Silver Stars continue road trip against Liberty (7 p.m.
ET)
The San Antonio Silver Stars have a 7-1 spread record, riding
three straight wins. Dan Hughes’ squad completes a three-game road
trip in Friday’s matchup against the New York Liberty, who are 3-0-1 ATS in
their last four contests.
Sportsbooks opened the basketball betting at a pick’em, with early betting
action shifting San Antonio to be a two-point road favorite. WNBA odds makers
first set the ‘total’ at 163 ½, with initial ‘over’ wagers moving the number
north one point to 164 ½.
San Antonio’s latest victory came in Tuesday’s 84-74 triumph as a
three-point road dog against the Chicago Sky. The Silver Stars
staged a late surge, rallying to outscore Chicago in the fourth quarter, 31-18.
Silver Stars forward Sophia Young (16.1 PPG) hit 7-of-15 from the
field, finishing with a team-high 19 points. Young’s mate Becky
Hammon logged five assists, while going 4-for-4 at the foul line en route to 14
points.
New York finds itself in a back-to-back spot after Thursday’s
87-81 loss as a six-point road dog against the Atlanta Dream. The
Liberty blew a 13-point lead, hitting a meager 37.9 percent of its field
buckets.
New York has a 4-0 spread mark in its last four meetings against
San Antonio, with all four battles dipping ‘under’ the ‘total.’ Look
for these trends to end with the Silver Stars bringing a 4-0 ATS mark in their
four contests away from home, while the ‘over’ has cashed at 4-1 in Hammon and
Co.’s last five games.
Storm head east without Jackson against Sun (7:30 p.m. ET)
The Seattle Storm cruised to last Friday’s 65-55 win as a
three-point home favorite against the Minneosta Lynx, playing their first game
without seven-time All-Star Lauren Jackson. Brian Agler’s crew
travels east with a week’s rest, opening a three-game road trip with Friday’s
duel against the Connecticut Sun.
Storm forward Camille Little put up 16 points, connecting 7-of-11
shots from the field. Little’s veteran mates Swin Cash and Sue Bird
logged team-highs of nine rebounds and eight assists, respectively.
Connecticut escaped with Tuesday’s 79-76 victory as a 6 ½-point
home favorite against the Los Angeles Sparks, extending its ATS mark to 0-3 in
its last three games. The Sun held Los Angeles to 37.3 percent field
shooting, while edging the Sparks out in paint points, 36-34.
Sun center Tina Charles (11 RPG) lit up Los Angeles for 22 points
and a season-high 23 rebounds. The WNBA’s 2010 Rookie of the Year
hit 11-of-21 field buckets, playing 36 minutes.
Connecticut is 7-2 ATS in its last nine meetings against the
Storm, with the ‘over’ collecting at 3-0 in the most recent trio of battles. The
Sun notched a 88-68 win last August as four-point home favorites, facing a
Seattle squad that rested its starters.
Sportsbooks opened the Sun as 4 ½-point favorites, while
initially setting the ‘total’ at 149. Look to back the ‘over’ here,
with Connecticut putting up 83.2 PPG and Seattle’s Sue Bird eager to find the
rims after last Friday’s 2-for-8 struggle from the field. Playboy_1 in the forum likes Connecticut -4.5.
Mercury return home against struggling Sky (10 p.m. ET)
The Phoenix Mercury went 3-1 ATS in their recent four-game road
trip, ending it with Tuesday’s 91-86 loss as four-point dogs against the
Indiana Fever. Corey Gaines’ crew returns home for Friday’s matchup
against the Chicago Sky, who are 2-2 ATS in their four games away from home.
Phoenix’ Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner logged team-highs of 15
points each in Tuesday’s setback, which ended a four-game win
streak. Taurasi recorded five turnovers, while Bonner hit a stellar
6-for-8 from the field.
Chicago dropped this past Saturday’s 86-78 battle against Phoenix,
failing to cash as four-point home favorites. The Sky trailed by as
many as 16 points, allowing Taurasi and Co. to connect 49.2 percent of its
field buckets.
The combined 164 points dipped below the ‘total’ of 176, but Friday’s
rematch in the southwest should have higher octane. The ‘over’ is
2-0 in Phoenix’ two home dates, with the Mercury notching 96 PPG in that span.
Sportsbooks opened the betting odds with the Mercury as 5 ½-point ‘chalk,’ while first
posting a ‘total’ of 175 ½. Take the ‘over’ in this spot with that pick going 5-0 in Phoenix’ last five games that followed a loss.