Saturday's Best WNBA Bet
Washington Mystics at Tulsa Shock (-5, 158)
At 0-5 to start the season, the Tulsa Shock are already running out of fingers to plug the dam.
The Shock are missing star forwards Elizabeth Cambage, who is dealing with a concussion, and Amber Holt (finger), leaving the front office to make some roster moves to improve the frontcourt. Tulsa dropped Miranda Ayim and brought in 6-foot-5 Jacinta Monroe. The sixth-overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft (to Washington), Monroe has been bumped from two teams due to injury issues.
"When Cambage went down, it exposed us and our lack of size," general manager and head coach Nolan Richardson told the Tulsa World. "(Monroe is) bringing size. She can run the floor and block some shots. Shot blocking is an area that she can really help us."
Defense and rebounding have been terrible for the Shock, who will benefit from Monroe’s size in the paint. However, trying to fix injury problems with an injury-prone player isn’t the sharpest move by the franchise.
Tulsa is 3-2 against the spread on the year, but has failed to cover as a single-digit underdog in those two ATS losses. The Mystics may only be 1-3 heading into the weekend but score and rebound with the best in the league - a combo that exposes the Shock's biggest weaknesses.
Look for Tulsa’s troubles to continue Saturday night.
Pick: Washington
WASHINGTON (1 - 3) at TULSA (0 - 5)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 198-244 ATS (-70.4 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 122-157 ATS (-50.7 Units) after a division game since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-1 against the spread versus TULSA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-1 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON vs. TULSA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Tulsa
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tulsa
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tulsa's last 6 games
Tulsa is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington