Wednesday's Best WNBA Bets
By Covers.com
Washington Mystics at Detroit Shock (-5.5, 145)
The Detroit Shock will have to wait a little while longer to start playing with their full roster. If they perform like they did in their home opener, though, the defending WNBA champions should be just fine.
Detroit looks for another dominating performance at The Palace on Wednesday night when it goes for its seventh straight victory over the Washington Mystics.
After flashing their championship rings and watching the banner raised to the rafters above their home floor Monday night, the Shock (1-1) put on a fitting performance, pounding Los Angeles 81-52. Detroit bounced back from a 78-58 defeat to the Sparks on Saturday that was the franchise's worst-ever season-opening loss.
"I think we all got a lot of energy from the ring ceremony," guard Deanna Nolan said. "We were angry after the way we played out there, and we fixed a lot of those things tonight."
Nolan scored a team-high 27 points for the Shock, who were without Cheryl Ford, Kara Braxton and Plenette Pierson.
Braxton is serving a six-game suspension for pleading guilty to a drunken driving charge, Ford is recovering from offseason ACL surgery and Pierson's right shoulder was injured in the season opener.
"We'd gone through the exhibition games with Plenette and Kara, and then we suddenly had a different roster," veteran forward Katie Smith said after scoring 17 points Monday.
Washington, off to the first 2-0 start in franchise history, tries for its first win at The Palace since a 69-55 victory June 24, 2005.
The Mystics defeated Atlanta 77-71 on Sunday behind Alana Beard's 27 points. Washington also received solid play from reserves Matee Ajavon, Tasha Humphrey and Marissa Coleman, who each hit a pair of 3s to help the Mystics outscore the Dream 30-8 in the second quarter.
Pick: Under
New York Liberty at Phoenix Mercury (-6.5, 168)
The Mercury, who led the league in scoring the past three seasons, had just 10 first-quarter points Saturday but made 53.3 percent from the field in the final three quarters.
"We started off shooting the ball bad - pitiful," Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said of his team's 20 percent first-quarter shooting. "But I knew that wouldn't last."
Cappie Pondexter, who finished second in the league in scoring to Taurasi last season, had 23 points, while rookie DeWanna Bonner added 16 and 11 rebounds off the bench.
New York (0-1) is coming off Sunday's 66-57 loss to Connecticut at Madison Square Garden. The Liberty fell to 3-10 in season openers as they shot 16.7 percent (4 of 24) from 3-point range, including 0 for 9 in the third quarter.
"We were 3-point shot happy," New York coach Pat Coyle said. "We have to do something differently."
Coyle also was annoyed by her team getting outrebounded 47-33 by the Sun.
Pick: Phoenix
WASHINGTON (2 - 0) at DETROIT (1 - 1)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 160-209 ATS (-69.9 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 97-133 ATS (-49.3 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 79-107 ATS (-38.7 Units) in road games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 116-149 ATS (-47.9 Units) in May, June, or July games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 15-30 ATS (-18.0 Units) on Wednesday since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 101-133 ATS (-45.3 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 99-132 ATS (-46.2 Units) after a division game since 1997.
DETROIT is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 4-17 ATS (-14.7 Units) after allowing 55 points or less since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 7-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES (1 - 1) at MINNESOTA (2 - 0)
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 4-3 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 4-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK (0 - 1) at PHOENIX (1 - 0)
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 116-83 ATS (+24.7 Units) in home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
NEW YORK is 60-38 ATS (+18.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 3-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 3-1 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons