Sports Picks & Predictions

Tonight commences the third straight season and fourth in the last five that Minnesota and Phoenix have met in the Western Conference Finals with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line. As many times as they have faced each other and as much as they know each other, it is surprising that four of the five meetings this season were decided by double digits, all won by the home team. We are bucking that here however as Phoenix comes in more rested and playing at a current higher level. The Mercury have won five of their last six games including a pair of blowout wins over Tulsa in the first round. Minnesota has been all over the place as it is just 6-7 over its last 13 games and while the Lynx are finally fully healthy now, they are not used to it and that can actually affect chemistry. Here, we play against favorites after allowing 80 points or more going up against an opponent after scoring 90 points or more. This situation is 33-13 ATS (71.7 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, Minnesota is just 1-8 ATS in its last nine games following a victory. 10* (653) Phoenix Mercury

The best team in the WNBA is on the brink of elimination after losing Game One at home of this best of three series. New York now has to win on the road to keep its season going and the Liberty will find a way to do so. Washington used clutch free throw shooting to take the first game in double overtime although it was New York's missed free throws that was the ultimate difference. This is not a team that the Liberty has enjoyed facing this season as they have lost four of the five meetings but that is an angle that can be overplayed. New York finished 11-6 on the road, the only team to win double-digit games on the highway so they come in confident to continue their season. New York has a great situation on its side as we play on road underdogs that are revenging a close loss versus opponent by three points or less, off a loss as a favorite. This situation is 36-12 ATS (75 percent) since 1997. Additionally, New York is a perfect 10-0 ATS this season as a road underdog while going a perfect 6-0 ATS playing with double revenge. 10* (613) New York Liberty

We played on Indiana on Thursday which resulted in a push and with its season on the line, we will be backing the Fever once again. As mentioned prior to Game One, the Sky have had Indiana's number since the end of last season as they defeated the Fever in the Eastern Conference Finals two games to one and then proceeded to sweep all four regular season games this year followed by the Game One win two nights ago. While the Fever did lose the two regular season meetings at home, they are still a solid 11-6 at home and have gone 22-12 ATS in their last 34 home games following a game on the road. Chicago hits the road a game under .500 on the highway and this will be just its third road game this entire month. The Sky put up 77 points in Game One which was actually below their season average of 82.9 ppg and going back, Chicago is 2-9-1 ATS in its last 12 games after scoring 75 or more points in three or more straight games. Indiana also falls into a great revenge situation as we play on home conference favorites that are revenging a same season loss which came on the road. This situation is 170-106 ATS (61.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (610) Indiana Fever

We are going against the grain in this opening game between Indiana and Chicago in the best-of-three series. The Sky have has Indiana's number since the end of last season as they defeated the Fever in the Eastern Conference Finals 2-1 and then proceeded to sweep all four regular season games this year. While Chicago was the highest scoring team in the WNBA this season, it really poured it on the Fever as they averaged 95.5 ppg in those four games and they were able to cover all four games. Indiana closed the season with a pair of wins which enabled it to avoid top seed New York on the first round but considering the Fever actually had better success against the Liberty, this does not seem like the ideal matchup. But because of the regular season history, Indiana is catching a great number here come playoff time where regular season results can be tossed away. Indiana is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 road games against teams with a winning record while going 14-5 ATS in its last 19 road games revenging a loss. Chicago is 1-8 ATS in its last nine home games after allowing 80 or more points and 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games after scoring 75 or more points in three or more straight games. 10* (601) Indiana Fever

While San Antonio and Seattle will both their season after today as neither will be in the playoffs, there is motivation for one side. San Antonio will be looking to end its 10-game losing streak but more importantly, will be out for a road victory. The Stars are 0-16 and a loss would make them just the second team in league history to go winless on the road but a loss would give them the worst road record in league history at 0-17 as Washington went 0-15 in 1998. An outright win is not a concern for us obviously as we look to stay within the inflated number. The Stars lost both game here last month but now they are getting more points than those first two games combined. This is also the final game in the storied career of Sophia Young-Malcolm who is retiring as the Stars all-time leading scorer. Seattle snapped a three-game skid with a win over Minnesota on Thursday but the Lynx were resting starters. Here ,we play against favorites that are coming off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog going up against an opponent off a road loss against a division rival. This situation is 47-22 ATS (68.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (659) San Antonio Stars

The WNBA playoffs begin next week and with five games tonight and five games Sunday, it is surprising that nearly everything is locked up with the exception of two seeding spots in the Eastern Conference. The fate of Washington and Indiana could be decided tonight and it is up to the Fever as they do control their own destiny. Indiana has a one-game lead over Washington for the third spot in the Eastern Conference and the chance to face Chicago in the opening round of the playoffs instead of league-best New York. That is pretty good incentive to get the job done tonight and hope the Mystics lose against New York to clinch the third spot. The Fever face New York Sunday in the regular season finale which puts greater emphasis on tonight. Atlanta is out of the playoff picture yet continues to play hard although last game they got the fortunes of Los Angeles pulling a late move to rest starters and the Dream blew out the Sparks by 30 points. The fact they have been playing well is factoring into this line as Atlanta has covered seven straight games while going back it has covered eight straight games at home which puts us in a solid contrarian situation with a team that has much more on the line. 10* (601) Indiana Fever

Los Angeles is heading back to the playoffs following its win over Tulsa on Sunday, a postseason berth that wasn't expected after a horrible start to the season. The Sparks opened 3-14 but have gone 11-4 over their last 15 games and while they cannot improve their playoff positioning, expect them to try and keep the momentum going into the postseason. They have one game remaining in the regular season on Friday so if players will be rested, that will be the night. Atlanta was officially eliminated from the playoffs because of the Washington victory last night so tonight be an emotional downer when it takes the floor. This is the first time the Dream will have missed the playoffs since 2008, their first season in the league. Atlanta won the first meeting this season so the Sparks will be out for payback and they fall into a solid league-wide situation where we play on favorites in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .400 and .499 revenging a home loss. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (651) Los Angeles Sparks

The Eastern Conference positioning is in full force as the final week of the regular season is here. While Indiana is in the playoffs for the 11th straight season, Washington still has not clinched but its magic number is one and I expect the Mystics to clinch Tuesday. They are coming off a four-game roadtrip where they lost all four games so a return home is just what they need at this point. The last loss came against Atlanta which is the last team that can take them out of the playoff race. Indiana meanwhile is playing much better as it has dropped four of five to fall one game behind Chicago for second place in the Eastern Conference which comes with homecourt in the first round of the playoffs. The Fever defeated Washington here last month and the Mystics will be out to avoid a repeat of that. Washington has been solid in revenge mode this season as it is 11-4 ATS revenging a loss and it falls into a league-wide situation involving revenge. We play on favorites that are revenging a same season loss versus opponent while coming off two or more consecutive road losses. This situation is 78-41 (65.5 percent) since 1997. 10* (602) Washington Mystics

With the end of the regular season less than two weeks away, the remaining schedule can be vital for a lot of teams and that is the case for both Connecticut and Indiana. The Sun pulled off a big road upset on Sunday as they defeated Chicago by four points as a nine-point road underdog, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Connecticut is still mathematically alive for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference but because it trails Washington by four games for the final playoff spot, a Washington victory in any of its final six games will eliminate the Sun. Indiana meanwhile is in the playoffs but it is seeking home court advantage in the first round but trails second place Chicago by a half-game so the rest of the slate for the Fever is very important. After winning six straight games, the Fever have dropped three in a row for the first time since opening 0-3. they have also lost four straight games against the number after covering five straight games so this is a big bounce angle play as well. Indiana is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games after allowing 75 or more points in four straight games and it falls into a great situation where we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after allowing 70 points or more in two straight games going up against an opponent after a win by six points or less. This situation is 72-36 ATS (66.7 percent) since 1997. 10* (602) Indiana Fever

Chicago heads to Atlanta looking to lock up a playoff position and it can do so with a victory along with a Connecticut loss against New York. Getting a win here may seem pretty easy and covering the short price seems doable but this is not going to be easy at all. Atlanta has played the Sky tough all season as it has covered all three meetings as underdogs including winning the lone home meeting outright. The Dream have won three straight games including an upset win over Indiana last night as they used a 29-17 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter to beat the Fever 90-84 for their longest winning streak of the season and fourth win in five games. Atlanta has struggled on the road this season but is a respectable 7-6 at home and the situations have been favorable when comparing to tonight. Atlanta is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 home games against teams with a winning record while going 7-0 ATS in its last seven games as a home underdog. Meanwhile Chicago is just 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games following a road win and have failed to cover in four of its last five games against teams with a losing record. 10* (604) Atlanta Dream

It is now or never for Connecticut as what once was a likely playoff berth has turned into a scramble to the finish following its fifth straight loss on Tuesday. Four of the five losses have come by double-digits with three of those coming against last place Atlanta so it has been an even worse run than the record shows. Hence, we are getting value on the home team because of the recent skid. Phoenix snapped a three-game losing streak with a home win over Minnesota on Sunday which certainly puts the Mercury in letdown mode here. They are just 5-7 on the road and on the season overall, they are 3-13 ATS against teams allowing 73 or more ppg while going 0-7 ATS following a double-digit victory. We also have two great league-wide situations on our side. First, we play on home teams in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .400 and .499 that are coming off a road loss by 10 points or more, playing a winning team. This situation is 36-13 ATS (73.5 percent) since 1997. Also, we play against favorites that are coming off conference win as an underdog going up against an opponent off a conference road loss. This situation is 46-22 ATS (67.6 percent) since 1997. 10* (602) Connecticut Sun

Chicago had a hold on first place in the Eastern Conference but an overtime loss in Phoenix toward the end of July seemed to have done some damage as the Sky are just 4-5 including that defeat since then. They now trail Washington and Indiana by a game for second place and first place New York by three games and this is arguably a much bigger game for Chicago as Connecticut is just two games behind them for the final playoff spot. Chicago lost at Los Angeles last Sunday but it is 5-1 in its last six games following a loss. Washington has won two straight games, both coming against the best team in the league Minnesota, and it has gone 9-3 over its last 12 games to move into a second place tie with Indiana. The Mystics are 7-1 against teams from the Western Conference but just 8-8 against teams from the Eastern Conference and while there is a big disparity in the strength of the two, it comes into play here. The Mystics are just 3-5 over their last eight road games and two of those road defeats have taken pace right here. Chicago is 10-3 at home and keeps it rolling here. 10* (608) Chicago Sky

Minnesota is coming off a rare loss and will be out to avoid losing consecutive games for just the second time all season and the motivation will certainly be in place tonight. That defeat came in Washington on Sunday so the Lynx will be out for some immediate revenge on Wednesday. They are just 3-3 over their last six games but all three losses came on the road and on the season, Minnesota has lost just twice at home with the last coming in overtime against Connecticut which came directly after a revenge victory over Tulsa. The Lynx have dropped five of their last six games against the number showing they have not been playing at the high level they are expected to be playing so this is a great spot to turn it up. The Mystics improved to 9-4 at home but are just 5-5 on the road including losses in two straight. Washington has dropped three straight games following a win, losing the last two by 14 and 11 points. This is a big number the Mystics are getting but considering they were getting four points at home in the game Sunday, the value is actually on the side of Minnesota with the switch in venue. Washington will be without center Emma Meesseman after she dislocated a finger Sunday. She's averaging 11.3 ppg on 53.5 percent shooting while averaging 6.3 rpg. 10* (654) Minnesota Lynx

Indiana is playing its best basketball of the season as it is now two games behind New York for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever have been equally impressive at home and on the road as they have started the trek with impressive double-digit victories over Washington and Phoenix while going back they have won six of seven since the All-Star break and 11 of 14 after a 3-6 start. Tonight presents a much different test however as Los Angeles is also playing its best basketball of the season as it continues to fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Los Angeles' improvement can be traced to Candace Parker's return to the team after missing the season's first two months to rest and after losing a tough one to Minnesota is its first game out of the All Star break, the Sparks have won five of their last seven games. The offense has led the way thanks to Parker as she has made up for the non-productive run from Alana Beard who has just four points over the last three games, one of those in which she didn't even play. We could see big game tonight however. The Fever haven't won here since 2010 and are 2-9 ATS the last 11 meetings here while the Sparks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning record. 10* (604) Los Angeles Sparks

New York took care of Connecticut last night for its fourth straight victory and its 12th in its last 14. The Liberty now return home where they are 8-2 both straight up and against the number as they look to extend their 2.5-game lead in the Eastern Conference. This is the time to go against New York however as the lines are becoming more inflated by the game. It has been the complete opposite for the Shock as what started out as a great season has turned into a disaster. Tulsa got off to an 8-1 start but has won twice in 15 games since with this losing streak the club's longest since a WNBA-record 20-game skid in 2011. The amazing thing is that the Shock still have a hold of the third playoff spot in the Western Conference so there will be no lack of playing hard. All-Star forward Plenette Pierson will return tonight after getting benched last game. The recent play from both sides is dictating this line but it is hard to ignore the fact that this line has swung 17 points from the first meeting six weeks ago and that is simply to big of a move. 10* (601) Tulsa Shock

Minnesota is the best team in the WNBA as it is 17-6 and leads the Western Conference by two games over Phoenix with this game starting a very tough stretch where five of the next six are on the road. The Lynx are a very respectable 7-4 on the road but like all other teams, they are not like they are at home and overall, they are outscoring opponents by less than one ppg when playing away. Minnesota has not won a road game by more than seven points since June 19th, a span of seven games on the highway where it is just 4-3 anyway so the fact they are favored by this big number is based on overall numbers and the fact Atlanta is not having a good season. The Dream dropped six straight games prior t o snapping that skid last time out against Tulsa. While making an excuse for losing should not happen, the fact that Atlanta has played only one home game in the last month surely has something to do with that. Atlanta is 5-5 at home and while it did lose its last one, it has not lost consecutive home games all season and overall, the Dream are a perfect 2-0 ATS at home as underdogs. Meanwhile, Minnesota is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven games as a road favorite and we take advantage of this highly inflated number. 10* (654) Atlanta Dream

Minnesota has dropped two straight games for the first time since the end of last season but both of those games were on the road and heading back home in a great revenge spot will get it back on track. The Lynx lost at Phoenix Friday to allow the Mercury to pull within a game of first place in the Western Conference. Prior to that, Minnesota was thumped at Los Angeles by 22 points, by far its biggest loss of the season. So they will be out for payback here. Despite being seven games under .500, the Sparks are still in the playoff hunt in the Western Conference thanks to a poor bottom side of the conference as well as four straight wins. The Sparks are no doubt a better team with Candace Parker in the lineup but they are getting too much respect here. The Lynx were favored by 2.5 points at Los Angeles and are now favored by just three points more at home despite complete opposite records of Minnesota's 8-2 home record and Los Angeles' 2-8 road record. The Lynx are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss while the Sparks are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games. 10* (608) Minnesota Lynx

San Antonio is the lone team in the WNBA that has yet to win a road game as it fell to 0-10 after getting pounded by 31 points last night in Connecticut. The Stars have been competitive in half of their road games so they haven't been blown out like that all of the time. Washington is on an ATS roll right now as it has covered six straight games and that is no doubt playing into this number. The Mystics did lose in their last game straight up on Sunday in Chicago was were able to sneak in under the spread. Washington is outscoring opponents by just 5.8 ppg at home and going back, the Mystics are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games against team with a losing record. Minnesota is the one team in the league that has been able to cover big numbers as it is 5-2 ATS when laying nine or more points but that success is not the same for other teams as the rest of the league is just 2-7 ATS in that role. This includes Washington losing its only game against the number in that price range. While road revenge is not a great angle, the Stars will no doubt be motivated as they lost at home against Washington this past Friday by 35 points, by far their biggest home loss of the season. 10* (601) San Antonio Stars

Typically we stay away from road chalk but there is too much value here not to back Minnesota. This is the second game of a three-game roadtrip for the Lynx after winning in Tulsa on Saturday and then concludes Friday with a big game at Phoenix. Minnesota has won three straight games and going back, it is 7-1 over its last eight games. The Lynx are 7-3 ATS this season against losing teams and their loaded roster takes on los Angeles for the second meeting in a week. The Sparks are a rejuvenated bunch as they have won their last two games, both on the road and both being their first road victories of the season. They have been a much better team at home obviously but not by much and they are just 1-4 ATS this season here against teams with a winning record. The return of Candice Parker has been a big boost but the Lynx counter with newly acquired Sylvia Fowles who has gotten progressively better in her three games in Minnesota after sitting out the first half of the season in Chicago. Going back, the Sparks are 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games following a win and I expect that streak to continue after tonight. 10* (655) Minnesota Lynx

We lost with Chicago in its most recent game, a shocking 11-point loss at home against Los Angeles which made it two straight setbacks for the Sky. I look for them to bounce back Sunday as they have not lost consecutive regular season home game since early July of last season. Chicago is 7-2 at home and is coming off its worst offensive showing here but is still averaging a monster 90.4 ppg. That offense will be tested by the leagues best defense tonight but it didn't show in the last meeting here where Chicago rolled to an 85-57 win and that got the Mystics attention as they have now won five straight games since then with only one of those even coming close to the pointspread as Washington has covered all five games as well. That is giving us the value on Sunday which shows how much a wining streak can affect a number as it is now a bucket less than it was in the last meeting here just over two weeks ago. Chicago has covered four of its last five against winning teams while Washington is just 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 games within the Eastern Conference. 10* (608) Chicago Sky

It has been a very rough stretch for Tulsa after getting off to a surprisingly great start. The Shock opened the season with a loss against Minnesota then went on to win eight consecutive games only to go on their current skid of 2-8 including losses in five straight games. They have failed to cover any of these most recent five games and that is providing us with some additional value. The Shock have dropped the last three games at home and the first happened to come against the Lynx where they lost by seven points no thanks to a poor third quarter. Tulsa was getting 3.5 points there and are now getting a bucket more. Minnesota solidified itself as the favorite to win the WNBA title after acquiring Sylvia Fowles from Chicago as the Lynx now have the most talented lineup in the league. They have won their first two games out of the break but they are in a tough spot here as they are playing with no rest as well as this being their third game in a four nights which is a rare scheduling situation in this league. Tulsa needs a win badly and it has already defeated Minnesota once this season so it knows it can get it done. Going back, the Lynx are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning record while Tulsa is 4-1 ATS this season as an underdog of five or more points. 10* (652) Tulsa Shock

The Sparks are having a miserable season yet they continue to be overvalued with the pointspread. They are 3-14 on the season which is the worst record in the WNBA and at 0-8 on the road, they are one of two teams in the league that are winless on the highway. Los Angeles has bolstered the league's second worst offense with the return of Candice Parker who rested during the first half of the season but even she isn't enough to turn this horrible season around. The Sparks are getting outscored by nearly 10 ppg on the road and the task won't be any easier tonight as they head to Chicago where it is 7-1 at home and the Sky are bringing in a five-game home winning streak, which is their top run since opening the 2013 season 5-0 in Rosemont. They opened the second half of the season with an overtime loss in Phoenix but their offense continue to dominate as their 85.8 ppg easily is the most in the league. Chicago also leads the WNBA in field goal percentage and free throw shooting and the Sparks won't have an answer as they are allowing the third most points in the Western Conference. 10* (608) Chicago Sky

Even though Phoenix closed the first half of the season with a winning record, it was considered a disappointment for the Mercury. Going 9-7 was not what was expected but considering they played the first seven games without Brittney Griner, all in all it wasn't horrible. Phoenix closed the first half with consecutive losses against New York and Los Angeles so will come out hungry tonight. Chicago will get its first shot at Phoenix since dropping three straight in last year's WNBA Finals so the Sky will be highly motivated as well but playing road revenge is never a favorite of mine. Chicago closed the first half with consecutive wins and is 6-1 over its last seven games. Only one of those wins came on the road however where the Sky are 4-5 overall. They were able to trade disgruntled center Sylvia Fowles who had yet to play this season as she was sent to Minnesota while getting Erika de Souza. Her availability for tonight is still in question however. Phoenix has not lost three straight games in exactly two years and I don't expect it happen again here. 10* (652) Phoenix Mercury

The WNBA All Star break begins tomorrow and it is coming at a good time for both of these teams but for different reasons. Connecticut opened the season with a loss against Washington but then reeled off seven consecutive wins to take the early lead in the Eastern Conference. Nothing has gone right since then however as the Sun have dropped their last six games. Only one of those however, a 20-point loss at Chicago, was a blowout so they have at least remained competitive. Minnesota has won four straight games to improve to 12-3 overall and has a 3.5-game lead over Phoenix and Tulsa in the Western Conference. The problem for the Lynx has been injuries though as they lost Seimone Augustus for a month because of a knee injury and last game, Lindsay Whalen left with an eye injury and has been downgraded to doubtful for today. Connecticut has been solid in the underdog role, going 8-3 ATS on the season and going back, it has covered 15 of 22 games following a cover loss. Look for the Sun to stay within this number this afternoon as it will be out to head into the break with some positive momentum. 10* (601) Connecticut Sun

Tulsa remains in second place in the Western Conference, two games behind Minnesota, as it looks to snap a two-game skid however both of those games were on the road. Going back, the Shock have dropped five of their last seven games but six of those Came away from home and this has been a different team at BOK Center where they are a perfect 6-0. The bad news for Tulsa was the loss of Skylar Diggins to a season ending knee injury but the return of Odyssey Sims has helped make up for some of that. She missed over a month with a knee issue, but has averaged 16.4 ppg since her return three games ago. Tulsa went 0-3 with both players out. The Lynx announced prior to Friday's game that Seimone Augustus underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee and will be out indefinitely and that is certainly a big loss. Her teammates made up for her absence against Chicago as they rolled to an 18-point win, their third straight overall to move to a league-best 11-3. They are 5-2 on the road but wins have come against teams a combined 26-478 with Indiana and Connecticut being the lone teams that were .500 or better. Additionally, Minnesota has played only three teams with a winning record at the time and failed to cover all three of those games. The Lynx are 0-4 ATS in their last four games against winning teams while the Shock are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning record. 10* (602) Tulsa Shock

Indiana defeated Tulsa on Wednesday to make it five straight wins, the longest winning streak for the Fever in three years. The last four were all at home and going back, they have won three straight road games after opening the season 0-3 on the highway. This game sets up a great opportunity to go against them as they have not hit the road yet this month and the opponent will be out for some redemption. Washington is stuck on a three-game slide following a 28-point loss at Chicago Wednesday. That was its second loss of at least 23 points during this skid which were sandwiched around a tough three-point home loss to New York in overtime. That 23-point defeat came at Indiana at the beginning of the month which adds to the redemption scenario that is in effect on Friday. The Mystics have covered just one game at home this season and their 3-9 ATS record is the worst in the WNBA but all that does is add to the value here. So much so that they were actually favored by more at Indiana in that last meeting than they are on Friday at home so the change in venue that normally plays a part in the line switch is not even close here. We take advantage. 10* (602) Washington Mystics

An early start in Seattle matches up the two worst teams in the Western Conference and this is a good spot for the home squad. There isn't a whole lot going for either side here but the one thing that certainly sticks out is the fact that Los Angeles is favored despite not having won a road game all season long. Typically, that is a contrarian angle which we would take a long look at but in this case, it is a team overpriced because of the name and not what is on the floor. Los Angeles has dropped three straight games and has yet to cover a game as a favorite at any time this season, going 0-3 ATS. Nine of Seattle's 12 losses have come against the top three teams in the Western Conference, Minnesota, Tulsa and Phoenix, which possess a combined record of 29-12. Another loss came against a winning team from the Eastern Conference so the Storm have only two losses against losing teams and both came on the road and were by a combined 10 points. When you add it all up, Seattle has played the toughest schedule in the WNBA. The Storm already have two wins against the Sparks this season so revenge is a factor but road revenge is not an angle we are a proponent of. 10* (606) Seattle Storm

We played against Minnesota on Friday in a similar situation and we will go against the Lynx once again. They lost that game in Chicago but did follow up with a win at home against San Antonio on Sunday and now they hit the road yet again in a rare scheduling spot in the WNBA to have three games in five days. The Lynx are 4-2 on the road but those four wins have come against teams a combined 15-38 with Indiana being the lone team that is at .500 or better. Additionally, Minnesota has played only two teams with a winning record at the time and failed to win or cover either of those games. After seven straight wins, Connecticut has fallen on some hard time with losses in three straight contests including its last two at home against Chicago and Indiana. The Sun are percentage points ahead Chicago for first place in the Eastern Conference, one that is separated by just two games between first place and last place. Defense has been the strength of both teams and it is the Sun that are in need to get back to how they were early on as Connecticut has given up an average of 88.3 ppg during the losing streak after allowing 68.4 ppg in winning its previous seven. The Sun are 8-1 ATS this season as underdogs including a perfect 4-0 ATS as home underdogs. 10* (652) Connecticut Sun

This is a big game for Atlanta which looks to end its four-game homestand with a victory prior to hitting the highway for a six-game roadtrip starting Tuesday. The Dream are coming off a home loss to Tulsa in their last game this past Tuesday to fall to 4-4 at home which is definitely a disappointing record given the fact they lost only four games all of last season. New York meanwhile has been playing very well as it is riding a three-game winning streak following an overtime win at Washington on Thursday. That was the second straight road upset as an underdog for the Liberty and they come in as the third best cover team in the league, going 8-3 against the number. This is also a double-revenge game for Atlanta which has lost the first two meetings to the Liberty this season including a nine-point loss here less than three weeks ago where the line was over double than it is now. The Liberty has covered five straight games in this series going back to last season, winning all of those outright as underdogs but the streak comes to an end this afternoon. 10* (602) Atlanta Dream

Here we have the best team in the WNBA against the spread going up against the second worst covering team in the league and the line is taking that into consideration. Tulsa is coming off a win at Atlanta to put an end to a three-game losing streak and improve to 9-4 overall and 10-3 ATS. The Shock have yet to lose at home but this is their first home game start since losing Skylar Diggins to a season ending knee injury against Seattle in their last home contest. Los Angeles had won two in a row following a franchise worst 0-7 start but has given those back with two straight losses including a seven-point loss at San Antonio three nights ago. The Sparks are 0-5 on the road so we are going against the grain and the 10-0 home/road splits between the two but that is where the value emerges. These teams played a week ago with Los Angeles closing as a 5.5-point favorite so the line swing is a huge one with the change of venue but it is definitely too big in my opinion. An outright upset for Los Angeles is far from out of the question here. 10* (651) Los Angeles Sparks

Minnesota has won three straight games to take over the top spot in the Western Conference as it is now 8-2 overall. The Lynx are 4-1 on the road but those four wins have come against teams a combined 14-33 with Indiana being the lone team that is at .500. Additionally, Minnesota has played only one team with a winning record at the time and failed to win or cover that game. Chicago comes in at 6-5 which is considered average but the schedule has played a big role in that. The Sky have played eight of those 11 games on the highway and they are a very respectable 4-4 in those games. They are 2-1 at home with the lone defeat coming in their last home game against New York so they will be out to make up for that here tonight. Chicago has failed to cover its last three games which is playing into this line and while it has failed to cover as an underdog in two tries, both of those were on the road. Look for a big effort tonight from the Sky as they look to snap a three-game slide against Minnesota. 10* (604) Chicago Sky

**11:30 AM ET** New York and Washington are both coming off extended layoffs prior to this key Eastern Conference matchup in a Thursday matinee. The Liberty have been off for nine days while the Mystics haven't played in a week so there will be no issue with fatigue here. Both teams are 6-4 which is good for a second place tie in the conference and the difference has been the two Washington victories earlier this season against the Liberty so while revenge will be in play, I like the bounceback factor for the Mystics. They were blown out by 23 points at Indiana in their most recent game as the offense was stymied. After averaging 81.6 ppg in its previous five games, Washington put up just 16 points in the second half and shot 18.6 percent over the final three quarters. New York has a two-game winning streak going and it will be getting Epiphanny Prince into the lineup for the first time this season as she is back from playing in the EuroBasket tournament for Russia. While it is a big deal having her back, fitting into the rotation and knowing the system could still be an issue. While Washington is 0-6 ATS following a win this season, it is 3-0 ATS following a loss and the Liberty are 8-17 ATS in their last 25 games following a win. 10* (652) Washington Mystics

After losing seven straight games to open the season, a franchise worst start, Los Angeles turned things around with two straight wins but gave one back in its last game on Sunday in an overtime loss at home against Phoenix. Now the Sparks hit the road again where they are winless at 0-4 but come in as a road favorite tonight which is a head scratcher. San Antonio comes in with the same exact record straight up and against the spread so there is no edge either way there. The home floor is a significant advatnage and that is where the Stars have won both of their games including one against Phoenix, one of the top teams out west. The spread in that game is the same as it is tonight, another head scratcher. San Antonio last played a week ago Thursday which happened to come at Los Angeles in a five-point loss which happened to be the closing number. Now San Antonio is getting a bucket less despite the change of venue so the value is clearly on the other side. The Sparks are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a losing record while the Stars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games playing on three or more days rest. 10* (604) San Antonio Stars

Seattle remains on the road after getting annihilated at Minnesota on Friday night but I expect a much closer game tonight and we are getting value on top of it. The Storm lost by 25 points as the offense managed just 57 points including 24 in the second half which killed our over in that one. It also didn't help that Seattle went to the free throw line only five times or shot a pitiful 27.8 percent from long range. Still, Seattle is nearly equal is shooting percentage against its opponents and the situation today is in its favor. Atlanta has very inconsistent this season and while it is coming off a win, the Dream have been off for eight days so any momentum from that victory has been lost. They are getting a couple players back as Tiffany Hayes and Aneika Henry had been playing for Azerbaijan at the European Games but the club was eliminated in the quarterfinals. This also hurts any sort of chemistry that may have been taking place for Atlanta. The Storm are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss while the Dream are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win. 10* (601) Seattle Storm

Los Angeles is off to its worst start in franchise history as it sits 0-7 yet comes in favored in this game. We will bite on that as this is the perfect opportunity to finally get into the win column. The Sparks had a couple good performances on the road at Washington and Connecticut before falling by nine points at New York last time out. If there is good news for Los Angeles, it is the fact it is getting healthier. Nneka Ogwumike missed the first four games with an ankle sprain suffered in the preseason. Kristi Toliver was out for the first six games to play for Slovakia in the EuroBasket tournament but played in her first game Sunday against New York. San Antonio opened the season 0-6 but has turned things around somewhat. The Stars split two games with Phoenix, covering both, while narrowly defeating Seattle by a bucket. They are 0-4 on the road and going back to last season, they are 1-10 over their last 11 road games with the only win coming against Chicago which was resting starters since it was the final game of the regular season. After averaging 60 ppg in four games, the Sparks have averaged 75.3 ppg since Ogwumike returned and San Antonio's shooting defense is the worst in the WNBA. That is a good sign for Los Angeles to win this one and rather easily. 10* (608) Los Angeles Sparks

This is the second game of the home-and-home set between Seattle and Tulsa and the Storm look to avenge the road loss on Sunday. The game was theirs for the taking as they took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter but were outscored 24-14 and they were sent to their fifth straight loss and seventh on the season. Tulsa meanwhile has won eight straight games since suffering a season opening loss at Minnesota and while the Shock did lose against the number for the first time this season, they are still undefeated on the road against the spread but they are now favored for the first time on the highway, something that has not happened since 2013. Records can be very deceiving as Tulsa is actually getting outshot by opponents by less than a perfect, roughly the same amount as Seattle. Over the last five games, Tulsa is getting outshot from the floor despite a 5-0 record while the Storm are outshooting opponents over that same stretch despite being 0-5. the difference has been long range shooting but the situations have been different for both sides when attempting threes so those percentages are no doubt skewed. 10* (656) Seattle Storm

Contrarian thinking is always at the forefront and this game sets up perfectly for that. Tulsa has been atrocious since moving from Detroit as it has gone a combined 41-129 since 2010 and has not won more than 12 games in a season but now possesses the best record in the WNBA along with Connecticut. The Shock have improved over the last couple years but this is a dramatic shift and the linesmakers have not been able to catch up. They have covered all eight games this season and now are favored for the first time by double-digits this year, a clear overadjustment. Seattle has not been as fortunate as it is 2-6 including losses in four straight games, the last coming just last night in San Antonio by a bucket. These teams played 19 days ago and since then, this line has doubled, going from 6 to 12. While Tulsa easily covered that game, the value is clearly on the side of the Storm and revenge comes into play following that 23-point thumping. Seattle was held to 23.8 percent shooting while the starters mustered only 16 points and embarrassments like that can bring out the best next time out. 10* (605) Seattle Storm

The return of Brittney Griner could not come at a better time for Phoenix. The Mercury went 3-4 in her absence and her first game back comes against the other team to beat in the Western Conference in the Minnesota Lynx. Her return however is not all of a sudden going to turn around the poor start for Phoenix as it will take some time to adjust back to game conditions. Lost in the whole Griner suspension is the fact that Phoenix is still without Diana Taurasi who is out for the season and her absence is just as big. Minnesota is off to a 5-2 start following a huge come-from-behind win over Seattle on Thursday. The Lynx held the Storm to 22 points in the second half after the Storm led by 13 after the first quarter and by as much as 10 in the fourth. The 18-point comeback was the biggest in franchise history and should be a huge momentum builder heading back home where they are playing for just the second time in two weeks. Revenge is also at the forefront as Minnesota lost to the shorthanded Mercury earlier this month by 15 points in Phoenix and will be out to avenge the three-game series loss in the playoffs last season. 10* (654) Minnesota Lynx

We won with Los Angeles in its last game as it stayed well within the posted number against Washington but still lost the game outright. The Sparks are now 0-5 to start the season which is the worst start in franchise history but they are slowly getting back to full strength although they are still a way away. They got Nneka Ogwumike back for the first time and she finished with 11 points and six boards against Washington. Her return is big but her sister will not be going against her as reigning rookie of the year Chiney Ogwumike is out for the season with a knee injury. That has not stopped the Sun which are off to one of their best starts in franchise history. After losing its season opener against Washington, Connecticut has won six straight games and on the season, it is a perfect 7-0 ATS. Additionally, going back to last season the Sun have covered 10 straight games and this of course is a perfect setup to go against that run. Los Angeles played just three days ago while Connecticut has been off since Sunday and while that rest is big later in the season, right now all it does it kill the positive momentum. 10* (603) Los Angeles Sparks

It has been a tough start to the season for San Antonio as it is winless through its first six games following a loss in overtime on Saturday against Chicago. It is the worst start in franchise history and the even more troublesome part is the fact that four of those games were winnable as the Stars were within two points in the fourth quarter at some point but have been unable to close the door. The schedule has been brutal though as they have opened the season by playing defending WNBA champion Phoenix, league finalist Chicago, 2014 Western Conference finalist Minnesota, 2014 Eastern Conference finalist Atlanta and Tulsa, which is tied for the best record in the league. Phoenix is off to a disappointing 3-3 start as they are still without Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi but this will be the last game for Phoenix without Griner so now if the time to go against. The Stars offense has been the big concern but the Mercury have allowed 68 or more points in five of their six games. San Antonio lost the first meeting in Phoenix this season but it was just by five points and while the Mercury have won three of four in San Antonio, they needed a combined three overtimes to earn two victories there last season. 10* (652) San Antonio Stars

We lost with the Sparks on Sunday as they blew a 10-point halftime lead and missed the cover by four points. It is no secret they have been riddled with injuries but they got some solid performances from their reserves on Sunday and had their best shooting performance of the season. Los Angeles is off to its worst start in franchise history but now we are really starting to see the value because of not only its winless straight up start but also its winless against the number record. Washington is off to a solid 4-2 start following a win at Indiana on Saturday. But now the Mystics are being asked to lay a huge number and this is actually the first time they have been a double-digit favorite since 2013. Washington has dropped two straight home games so it will definitely be motivated here but winning and covering are two different things, especially when dealing with a spread this large. While the Sparks may not get their first win outright, they should be able to stay well within range of this inflated number. 10* (651) Los Angeles Sparks

Connecticut is off to a awesome start this season as after opening up with a loss against Washington, it has reeled off five straight winners and most impressive for our purposes, the Sun have covered every game this season. They have underdogs in all of those however and now they are favored for the first time this season and it is a tough spot after coming off an upset win in overtime against Phoenix which snapped the Mercury's 22-game home winning streak. Los Angeles has been on the other side of things as they are 0-3 both straight up and against the number. These are the contrarian plays that we love playing on however and we take advantage of the adjusted line. 10* (604) Los Angeles Sparks

Phoenix is out to defend its 2014 WNBA Championship and it all starts tonight at home where distractions will be everywhere. The Mercury will be lowering the championship banner tonight and players will be getting their rings which certainly makes playing basketball not in full focus. Plus this will be a different looking Phoenix team than the one that swept Chicago last season in the WNBA Finals. Tonight, they will dress only four players that wore Mercury uniforms in 2014. Diana Taurasi and Penny prepare to sit out the year to rest, Shay Murphy injured her knee overseas which ended her WNBA season before it began and of course, there is the suspension of Brittney Griner for seven games. This is a good opportunity for San Antonio to build on last season's playoff appearance despite getting swept by Minnesota. While this line is taking all of the Phoenix issues into play, I still think it is way too high and the Stars have a legitimate shot of winning it outright. 10* (609) San Antonio Stars

We played against Indiana on Sunday as it faced New York in the regular season finale and the basis of the play was that the Fever would rest their starters because the number two seed in the Eastern Conference was already locked up. So while they head into the playoffs coming off a loss, it is not a momentum killer following a three-game winning streak prior to that. Washington is also coming off a loss in its final regular season game which also came against New York the previous day. The Mystics were not resting starters however and they closed the season by losing three of their last four games which killed any chance of grabbing home court in this playoff series. The fact that the road team won all four regular season meetings may be telling us that the home floor is meaning less in this series but I am not buying that as the playoffs are a while different matter. While Indiana did not play well on its home floor this year, this is an experienced playoff team that knows how important it really is to have that edge. Additionally, Indiana has been solid in this situation as it is 15-4 ATS this season revenging a loss and it also falls into a great league-wide situation. We play on favorites in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .400 and .499 revenging a home loss versus opponent. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) since 1997. 10* (602) Indiana Fever

The final day of the regular season can present some good opportunities based on scheduling situations. In this case, Indiana has secured a playoff spot and it has also secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference which means it has no place to go up or down so this game means very little. The goal is to get out of here healthy for the playoffs and to do that, players will be resting for most of the game. Coach Lin Dunn said that her team is fatigued as it heads to New York. "Whatever happens up there we'll have the second seed so that's nice to know coming into that game and I can also give our starters some more rest and I can also give our backups more minutes," Dunn said. New York is missing the playoffs for a second straight season but coming off a win at Washington last time out, it is out to end the season on a winning streak and seek some revenge at the same time. The Liberty have dropped all three meetings this season to Indiana and the Fever covered all of those games on top of it. Going back, they have dropped the last five meetings so with pride on the line for today, New York can at least end its season on a winning note ad we are getting a price to go along with that. 10* (604) New York Liberty