Today's WNBA Best Bets
Chicago Sky at Atlanta Dream (-5.5, 163)
Any bettors who have been sleeping on the Dream need to wake up and smell the victories.
Atlanta won its franchise-record fourth-straight game on Thursday with a 92-84 win in San Antonio. The Dream won the game because of a balanced offensive effort that saw Chamique Holdsclaw (21 points), Iziane Castro Marques (17), Sancho Lyttle (13), rookie Angel McCoughtry (11) and Michelle Snow each score in double figures.
"We're definitely establishing our identity," Holdsclaw told the Associated Press. “We've got a flow going right now. We're just trying to stick to it."
Meantime, Chicago has beaten the Dream twice this season, but enters the game losers of three of its past five and is a wretched 2-9 on the road.
Pick: Dream
Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury (-4, 175.5)
It’s no surprise that Penny Taylor’s return to Phoenix coincides with the team’s two-game win streak.
Taylor, an All-Star in 2007 with Phoenix when it won the title, re-signed with the Mercury this month and has made an immediate impact. In her first game back against the Lynx, she was eased into the lineup. She had two points, an assist and a rebound in a little under 10 minutes of action in the 13-point win.
Then, in Phoenix’s 11-point overtime win against Seattle, Taylor dropped 18 points and four assists off the bench.
The Fever have won four straight, but are just 2-2 against the Western Conference. They will struggle to matchup with Taylor off the pine.
Pick: Mercury
CHICAGO (10 - 11) at ATLANTA (11 - 10)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) as an underdog this season.
CHICAGO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in road games this season.
ATLANTA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
ATLANTA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
ATLANTA is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-1 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 5-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA (16 - 4) at PHOENIX (16 - 6)
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 65-93 ATS (-37.3 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
INDIANA is 19-42 ATS (-27.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
INDIANA is 69-96 ATS (-36.6 Units) in road games since 1997.
INDIANA is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in road games on Saturday games since 1997.
INDIANA is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 38-62 ATS (-30.2 Units) in road games after a division game since 1997.
INDIANA is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.
PHOENIX is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in home games this season.
PHOENIX is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 this season.
PHOENIX is 70-48 ATS (+17.2 Units) in August or September games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a division game this season.
PHOENIX is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 3-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 2-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK (7 - 13) at SEATTLE (12 - 9)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) on Saturday games since 1997.
NEW YORK is 61-40 ATS (+17.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
NEW YORK is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 3-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
DUNKEL
Indiana at Phoenix
The Fever are coming off a 76-67 victory over Chicago and look to build on their 9-3 ATS record in their last 12 games following an ATS win. Indiana is the pick (+4) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by just 1. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4).
Chicago at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 109.423; Atlanta 113.478
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 4; 166
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 5 1/2; 163 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+5 1/2); Over
Indiana at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 114.613; Phoenix 115.873
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 178
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4; 175
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4); Over
New York at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: New York 109.333; Seattle 113.196
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 4; 138
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 8; 141
Dunkel Pick: New York (+8); Under
Been watching these guys for a week or so and they are pretty good for free.
WNBATips
1st Half Plays
Liberty +3.5
Liberty vs. Storm Over 69
Regular Plays
Liberty +7.5
Liberty vs. Storm Over 140.5