Friday's Best WNBA Bets
Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx (-1.5, 155)
Remember in June when Minnesota looked like a title contender? Well, July didn't go as the Lynx planned.
The Lynx have lost three straight and seven of their past 10 games to fall back to .500 and in the middle of a tight playoff race in the Western Conference. The team also has lost five of its past six home games, with its lone win a two-point, overtime victory against Washington.
"We just have to find ourselves again," Minnesota coach Jennifer Gillom told the Associated Press. "They want to win."
But wanting won’t be enough against the Sun. Connecticut improved its record to 10-9 last week by pasting Detroit, 83-65. The Sun also are a respectable, 4-5 straight up on the road, and 5-3 against the spread.
Connecticut isn’t perfect, but will do enough to leave the Lynx with another loss.
Pick: Sun
Detroit Shock at Washington Mystics (-4.5, 154)
On Friday night, Detroit will try to do something it has accomplished only one other time this season: win consecutive games.
The defending champions have been ravaged by injuries and are still struggling to find chemistry. Their biggest problem is a mediocre defense, which is allowing an average of 78 points per game. The team also is looking for Cheryl Ford (8.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) to keep improving. She has been slow to regain her elite form following offseason knee surgery.
Meantime, the Mystics already posted a 75-69 win over the Shock in Michigan earlier this year and have won three of five overall. But Ford didn’t place in the team’s earlier meeting. Look for her presence to make the difference this time.
Pick: Shock
DETROIT (7 - 10) at WASHINGTON (10 - 9)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
WASHINGTON is 170-216 ATS (-67.6 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 25-49 ATS (-28.9 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in home games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 7-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT (10 - 9) at MINNESOTA (10 - 10)
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 75-49 ATS (+21.1 Units) in road games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 3-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK (6 - 13) at SACRAMENTO (5 - 16)
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 136-90 ATS (+37.0 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 46-28 ATS (+15.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games since 1997.
NEW YORK is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) after a division game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 4-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 4-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons