Each day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the slate, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
Here's what to look for during Friday's slate:
Los Angeles Sparks at Dallas Wings8:00 p.m. ET, College Park Center, Arlington
Line: Wings (-4.5)
Money line: Sparks (+158), Wings (-190)
Total: 166.5 points
BPI Win%: Wings (64.8%)
Probable: Allisha Gray (ankle), Satou Sabally (knee)
Fantasy need to know: With two consecutive losses against the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury, the Wings will try to turn things around against the inconsistent Sparks at home. In two games this season, each team has won on home court, most recently the Wings won 92-82 on June 19. With an offensive rating of 101.6 and a defensive rating of 102.4, Dallas ranks fifth and eighth in the league, respecrtively. Arike Ogunbowale has been the top fantasy performer for the Wings. She has averaged 31.7 fantasy points per game this season and in five of her last seven games, Ogunbowale has scored at least 40 fantasy points.
Earlier this week, the Sparks lost at home to the league-leading Las Vegas Aces. After Derek Fisher's firing on June 7, former assistant Fred Williams took over the Sparks and they are 2-4 since. Los Angeles ranks 8th with an offensive rating of 99 and 11th with an defensive rating of 105.2. Nneka Ogwumike averages 18.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.8 APG for the Sparks. This translates into an average of 32.6 fantasy points per game.
Marina Mabrey, Allisha Gray, and Ogunbowale, all of whom average 23 or more fantasy points per game, are your most reliable options in Dallas. Injuries have kept Satou Sabally out of the last seven games, but she is expected to return on Friday. This season, she has averaged 21.1 fantasy points per game. Teaira McCowan is still available in 39% of leagues if you need a streamer. Over the last four games, she has averaged 19.5 fantasy points. Brittney Sykes, Liz Cambage, and Ogwumike are your most consistent options for the Sparks. Among the top streaming options are Jordin Canada, who is available in 73.3% of leagues, and Katie Lou Samuelson, who is available in 78.4% of leagues. Both average over 18 fantasy points per game.
Best bet: Over 166.5. The Wings average 81.1 PPG, while the Sparks average 81.2 PPG. Defensively, neither team is strong. The game has the potential to be high scoring. Five of the Sparks' last seven road games have gone over the total, while six of the Wings' last eight home games have. -- Eric Moody
Las Vegas Aces at Minnesota Lynx8:00 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis
Line: Aces (-4)
Money line: Aces (-190), Lynx (+158)
Total: 174.5 points
BPI Win%: Aces (52.3%)
Fantasy need to know: Chelsea Gray returned on Wednesday after a one-game absence for personal reasons, and turned in a typical effort of 10 points, 8 assist, 5 rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes of action. Her return moved Kierstan Bell back to the bench for a DNP, after Bell had started the previous game. The Aces' minutes and productions are tied firmly into their starting crew, who are all universally rostered, with superstars A'Ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum leading the way with consistently dominant performances.
The Lynx are still working superstar Sylvia Fowles back into the mix after she missed five games with knee issues. She's played in three straight, but she's only averaged 20.3 MPG and her numbers are down across the board in those outings. The Lynx re-signed Nina Milic to a seven day contract, but she's only averaged 4.5 MPG in two games this week. Moriah Jefferson (available in 56.6% of leagues) continues to be the streaming revelation for the Lynx, fresh off a triple-double that has her averaging 16.0 PPG, 7.0 APG, 4.2 RPG, 2.2 3PG and 0.8 SPG in 30.6 MPG in her last five outings.
Best bet: Lynx +4.5. The Lynx are playing their best basketball of the season of late. They blew out the Wings by 28 points on Tuesday, and have won three of their last six games...but their three losses in that stretch were by a total of six points against the defending champion Sky, and the two teams with the best record in the West in the Aces and Storm. Two weeks ago, the Lynx lost to the Aces by a single point, in Las Vegas. -- André Snellings
Indiana Fever at Seattle Storm10:00 p.m. ET, Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle
Line: Storm (-13)
Money line: Fever (+600), Storm (-900)
Total: 162 points
BPI Win%: Storm (84.3%)
Ruled out: Mercedes Russell (head)
Fantasy need to know: Rookie NaLyssa Smith has been up and down of late, with averages of 6.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in two of her last four games interspersed between two massive double-doubles where she averaged 20.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG. Victoria Vivians (available in 46.1% of leagues) has seemingly re-found her consistency, with three straight double-digit scoring efforts in which she averaged 11.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.7 3PG, 1.3 APG, 0.7 SPG and 0.7 BPG in 30.0 MPG. Kelsey Mitchell continues to dominate from the backcourt, with three straight games over 20 points as part of a 13-game run in which she's averaged 20.1 PPG, 4.1 APG and 2.5 3PG.
The Storm are acclimating newly signed superstar Tina Charles into their rotation. In her first game, she played only 16 minutes off the bench behind Ezi Magbegor. It isn't clear what their ultimate minutes split will look like, but presumably Charles will start to get more playing time which could cut into the production of the rest of the Storm frontcourt.
Best bet: Storm -13. The Fever have lost nine of their last 11 games, and only one of those losses was by less than double figures; a nine-point defeat to the Dream. Those nine losses were by an average of 15.4 PPG. The Storm have won 11 of their last 15 games. Most of those wins were competitive, but they've been stretching it out of late, with their last three victories coming by an average of 11.0 PPG against three good teams in the Aces, Mystics and Liberty. -- Snellings