The Phoenix Mercury return home to host the Golden State Valkyries Thursday night at PHX Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:00PM ET. Phoenix is 5-3 and in third place in the Western Conference. Golden State sits at 2-4 and fifth in the West standings.
This is their second meeting this season. Golden State won the first game 84-79 back on May 11. Both teams are coming off losses to the Minnesota Lynx. Phoenix fell 88-65 on Tuesday while Golden State lost 86-75 on Sunday.
Mercury Preview – Phoenix Still Missing Core Players
Phoenix continues to play short-handed. Alyssa Thomas has missed three straight games, and key starters Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack have not played this season. The lack of depth is making it tough for the Mercury to stay consistent.
Satou Sabally leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 20.5 points and 8.1 boards. She had 15 points and 8 rebounds in the loss to Minnesota. The Mercury shot just 38.4% from the floor and went 5-for-30 from three-point range in that game.
Lexi Held has stepped up, scoring a team-high 16 points last game. The Mercury are scoring 76.9 points per game and giving up 74.0. They are 4-1 at home and 4-4 against the spread overall. Their defense ranks second in the league in points allowed.
Valkyries Preview – Golden State Still Learning but Competing
Golden State has lost three straight games, but all came against top-tier teams. Two of those losses were to the unbeaten Liberty and one to the Lynx. Despite that, the Valkyries have covered the spread in four of their six games.
Veronica Burton had 21 points in the loss to Minnesota and leads a team with a balanced offense. Burton, Kayla Thornton, and Janelle Salaun are all averaging 12.0 points per game. Salaun also leads the team with 7.4 rebounds per game.
The Valkyries are averaging 74.0 points per game while shooting 36.8% from the field. They’re third in the league in three-point attempts and do well on the offensive glass. Five different players have led the team in scoring, and four in rebounding, showing their depth and team-first mindset.
Betting Prediction
Phoenix is favored by 5 points at home with the total set at 158.0. The Mercury are still without three regular starters, which limits their ceiling. Golden State has already beaten Phoenix once and has covered in most of its games this season.
With both teams struggling on offense and playing slower styles, the total could stay under. A projected final score of 75-72 gives Phoenix the edge at home, but not enough to cover the spread. Golden State’s balanced scoring and effort should keep this game close for four quarters.
Pick: Valkyries +5
Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your WNBA betting!
