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WNBA bets and fantasy picks: Connecticut Sun look to slow Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Pacers scored 20 points the first time she faced the Connecticut Sun. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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 ESPN BET.

Here's what to look for during today's slate:

What you need to know for Monday's games

There are two games on the slate for Monday, both with interesting storylines. Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart faces her old squad in the Seattle Storm, who are on the second half of a back-to-back after a hard-fought win over the Washington Mystics on Sunday.

In the other game, the Connecticut Sun face the Indiana Fever for the second time this season after limiting super rookie Caitlin Clark to 4-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc and blowing them out in the season opener. Will things be different with the game in Indiana instead of Connecticut?

Monday's Fantasy Stream Team

DiJonai Carrington (available in 41.4% of ESPN leagues) is one of the most added players in fantasy hoops, up from 6.4% rostered last week to over 58% today. Carrington should be universally rostered, because she's locked in as the starting point guard for the Sun and playing excellent ball. Through two games, she has averaged 18.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG and 0.5 BPG in 34.0 MPG.

Jordan Horston (available in 70.8% of leagues) is coming off the bench in her sophomore campaign, but still playing enough minutes to make a solid contribution to fantasy hoops squads. Horston has at least seven rebounds in all three games so far and is averaging 6.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 APG and 0.3 3PG in 24.7 MPG.

Dre's Bets for Monday

Breanna Stewart over 22.5 points (-120): Stewart is one of the elite scorers in the WNBA, coming off a season when she averaged 23.0 PPG on her way to winning her second MVP award. After only scoring eight points in the season opener, Stewart has dropped 55 points in her past two outings with at least 24 points in each game. The Storm could be without Nneka Ogwumike (GTD, ankle), their best frontcourt player, for the second straight game. Plus, Stewart played the first six seasons of her career with the Storm, and players tend to want to cook against their former teams.

Alyssa Thomas to record a triple-double (+375): Thomas has the potential to drop a triple-double pretty much every night. Over her past 28 games last season, Thomas dropped six triple-doubles with an additional 11 points-rebounds double-doubles and three more points-assists double-doubles. Through two games this season, Thomas already has one triple-double, in the opener against the same Fever she faces on Monday. At significant plus money, I see value in calling for Thomas to run that trip-doub back again Monday evening.


Connecticut Sun at Indiana Fever
7:00 p.m. ET, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis


Line: Sun -6.5
Money line: Sun (-260), Fever (+205)
Total: 163.5 points

BPI prediction:
Sun: 55.2% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 1.4 points

Injury report
Sun: No injuries reported
Fever: Damiris Dantas (Out)


Seattle Storm at New York Liberty
7:00 p.m. ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn


Line: Liberty -11.5
Money line: Storm (+410), Liberty (-600)
Total: 167.5 points

BPI prediction:
Liberty: 74.3% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 7.3 points

Injury report
Storm: Nneka Ogwumike (Day-to-day), Nika Muhl (Day-to-day -- not injury related)
Liberty: No injuries reported