Each night of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the schedule, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
Here's what to look for tonight:
Wednesday night is busy in the WNBA with three games on tap, including both squads that played in last season's championship series. The Aces and Liberty are both favorites on the night, but does the spread line-up with their performance this season? Let's take a closer look at all three games, both the team matchups as well as the potential for individual performances and find some angles of interest from both a fantasy hoops and a betting perspective.
Wednesday's fantasy stream team
Alysha Clark, Las Vegas Aces (available in 69.6% of ESPN leagues)
Clark has started every game for the Aces this season in place of Chelsea Gray and has responded with solid all-around contributions. She isn't spectacular in any one category, but her 8.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 2.0 APG and 1.5 3PG are beneficial streaming numbers for a fantasy hoops squad with open flex spots.
Sophie Cunningham, Phoenix Mercury (available in 49.8% of leagues)
Cunningham moved into the starting lineup on Tuesday and had a solid game. She notched nine rebounds, six points, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot in 30 minutes. Cunningham is coming off a four-game stretch which she averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.3 3PG, 2.3 SPG and 1.3 APG in 25.5 MPG off the bench.
Picks, projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. All odds are provided by ESPN BET.
Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty
7 p.m. ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Line: Liberty -14.5
Money line: Mercury (+750), Liberty (-1400)
Total: 171.5 points
BPI prediction:
Liberty: 80.3% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 9.6 points
Injury report
Mercury: Rebecca Allen (Day-To-Day), Sug Sutton (Day-To-Day), Brittney Griner (Out)
Liberty: No injuries reported
Best bet: Mercury (+14.5)
This is an astronomically large spread for two teams that have played at a similar level to start the season. The Liberty are 4-2 but have lost their last two games by a total of 26 points. The Mercury have also lost two straight games but are 3-3 on the season with a signature 10-point win over the defending champion Aces. Kahleah Copper is coming off a bad game but has been playing at an MVP level to start the season and will be looking to bounce back tonight. The Liberty should be favored, and BPI projects them to win by 9.6 points, but that is within the 14.5 point spread so I'll take the Mercury with the points.
Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics
7 p.m. ET, Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Line: Dream -3.5
Money line: Dream (-150), Mystics (+125)
Total: 162.5 points
BPI prediction:
Dream: 52.7% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 0.8 points
Injury report
Dream: Jordin Canada (Out)
Mystics: Shakira Austin (Day-To-Day), Brittney Sykes (Out)
Best bet: Rhyne Howard over 2.5 made 3-pointers (-175)
Howard has an excellent all-around game, but she has made long-range shooting a staple of her offensive output. After averaging 2.5 3PG on 34.5 3P% through her first two WNBA seasons, she has raised that to 3.0 3PG on 38.7 3P% this season. Howard has at least three made 3-pointers in three of her four games played thus far.
Las Vegas Aces at Minnesota Lynx
8 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis
Line: Aces -4.5
Money line: Aces (-200), Lynx (+165)
Total: 169.5 points
BPI prediction:
Aces: 60.9% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 3 points
Injury report
Aces: Kierstan Bell (Out), Chelsea Gray (Out)
Lynx: Diamond Miller (Out)
Best bet: Lynx +4.5 (-110)
The Aces are the two-time defending WNBA champions and deserve to be favorites to repeat again this season. But we can't overlook the importance of Chelsea Gray. Her absence has slowed the Aces to open the season. Outside of a relatively easy win over a one-win Fever team, the Aces have either been challenged or lost in every other game.
Meanwhile, the Lynx have played as well as any team in the WNBA thus far. Their 10.2 PPG scoring margin tops the league, and their only loss was a one-point thriller on the road against the undefeated Sun. According to BPI, the Aces should be favored but by a 3.0-point margin that is within the spread. WIth the Lynx at home, playing at such a high level, I'll take them and the points.