The Phoenix Mercury head to Chase Center on Monday night to take on the Golden State Valkyries. Tip-off is at 10:00PM ET. This is their second meeting of the season. Phoenix won the first game 86-77 on June 5 in a Commissioner’s Cup contest.
Phoenix comes in at 14-6 and sits second in the Western Conference behind Minnesota. Golden State is 10-10 and tied for fourth in the West. The Mercury are 5-3 on the road. The Valkyries are 7-3 at home and looking to bounce back after a tough road loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
Mercury Preview – Chemistry Coming Together
Phoenix has gone 8-2 in its last 10 games. Coach Nate Tibbetts is still working with a lineup that hasn’t had much time together. Top scorers Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas have barely shared the floor this season. Copper made her season debut June 15 but is expected to miss this game with a hamstring injury.
Without Copper, Phoenix still just completed a strong homestand. They beat Dallas 102-72 with Sami Whitcomb scoring a career-high 36 points. Then, Alyssa Thomas took over in a 79-71 win against Minnesota, scoring 29 points with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Thomas has now played 10 straight games and is starting to look like the focal point of the offense.
Phoenix ranks third in the league in scoring at 84.5 points per game. They shoot 43.5% from the field, which is sixth-best in the WNBA. They also rank second in three-pointers made (10.0 per game) and fourth in assists (20.9). Their offensive spacing has allowed multiple players to step into big roles, including Whitcomb and Mya Akoa Makani, who had 13 points in their last outing.
Valkyries Preview – A Growing Team With a Punch
The Golden State Valkyries are an expansion team but have held their own through 20 games. They just wrapped up a four-game road trip with a 104-102 loss in Las Vegas. The offense exploded, but the defense gave up a season-high in points. Coach Natalie Nakase said the focus must shift to effort on defense.
Golden State played most of the last month short-handed due to injuries and EuroBasket absences. Players like Tiffany Hayes, Temi Fagbenle, and Janelle Salaun are now back. That group combined for 45 points in the last game, including 16 from Salaun and 13 from Fagbenle on 6-of-7 shooting.
The Valkyries rank second in defense by allowing just 78.6 points per game. They also lead the league in field goal defense at 40.1%. Their issue has been scoring. They average just 78.6 points and are last in second- and third-quarter scoring. But they’ve been stronger at home and have won seven of ten at Chase Center.
Betting Prediction
Golden State is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 158.5. The Valkyries are 13-7 ATS overall, one of the best marks in the league. Phoenix is 12-8 ATS and 5-3 ATS on the road. In the last meeting, Phoenix covered as a 6-point home favorite in an 86-77 win.
Golden State has been solid at home, but their defense hasn’t looked the same since returning from the road trip. Phoenix’s offense has been rolling even without Copper. Alyssa Thomas has taken over, and Whitcomb is providing scoring from the perimeter. Final score prediction: Phoenix 85, Golden State 81. Take the road team with the points or on the moneyline.
Pick: Phoenix +2.5
