Tuesday's Best WNBA Bets
Phoenix Mercury at Chicago Sky (Pick, 177)
The Sky have set one franchise record with 13 victories and are trying to set another for injuries.
Starting forward Brooke Wyckoff (illness) and reserve guard K.B. Sharp (knee) sat out Saturday's 79-76 win over Minnesota, which saw star center Sylvia Fowles take a tumble in the closing seconds and hobble off with a left ankle injury. Coach Steven Key said he was unsure of Fowles' status for the next game.
Fowles missed five games with a knee injury in July, and Chicago lost them all. She missed 16 games in her 2008 rookie season with a knee injury, and the Sky went 5-11.
Chicago was without Fowles at Phoenix on July 8, and took a 90-70 loss.
Pick: Phoenix
Seattle Storm at Detroit Shock (-1, 140)
The Seattle Storm had three starters on the Western Conference All-Star team, but you couldn't tell by their recent play.
At the break, the Storm were 11-6, one game behind first-place Phoenix in the West. Since the break, they have lost five of seven games to fall 3.5 games off the pace and in danger of missing the playoffs, which they have not done since 2003.
Seattle has yet to cover since the break. The Storm are 0-3 as favorites, 0-4 as underdogs, 0-3 at home and 0-4 on the road.
Their defense is to blame. For the season, the Storm are third in the WNBA, allowing 73.1 points per game. Since the All-Star break, they have surrendered 79.6.
This is the finale of a three-game road trip. In two previous trip-ending games, the Storm lost and failed to cover.
Pick: Detroit
DUNKEL
Phoenix at Chicago
The Mercury look to bounce back from their loss in San Antonio and build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games following a SU defeat. Phoenix is the pick (+1) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+1).
Seattle at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 108.216; Detroit 113.520
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 5 1/2; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 2; 139 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-2); Over
Phoenix at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.053; Chicago 112.999
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 180
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 177
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+1); Over
Washington at Los Angeles
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 110.232; Los Angeles 112.919
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 2 1/2; 138
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 4 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+4 1/2); Under
SEATTLE (13 - 11) at DETROIT (9 - 13)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in August or September games this season.
SEATTLE is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) against Eastern conference opponents this season.
SEATTLE is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
SEATTLE is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.
SEATTLE is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-1 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-1 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX (17 - 8) at CHICAGO (13 - 12)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-8 ATS (+7.2 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) after a division game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 3-2 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON (12 - 12) at LOS ANGELES (9 - 13)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 171-220 ATS (-71.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 103-137 ATS (-47.7 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in August or September games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 107-140 ATS (-47.0 Units) after a division game since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-2 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-2 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons