The Washington Mystics will host the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday night at CareFirst Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:30PM ET. This game is the first for both teams since the All-Star break and is a rematch of their most recent matchup. On July 15, the Sparks beat the Mystics 99-80 in Los Angeles.
Washington is 11-11 on the season and sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Mystics are 7-3 at home this year. Los Angeles is 8-14 and ranks sixth in the Western Conference. The Sparks are 5-6 on the road and have covered in six of their last ten games against Washington.
Tuesday’s matchup is the fifth meeting between the teams since last season. The Sparks have won three of the last four games. Both teams will be looking to start the second half of the season strong, and both have players who just returned from All-Star Weekend.
Mystics Preview – Looking to Flip the Script at Home
The Mystics had won three games in a row before their loss to Los Angeles last week. That defeat snapped their momentum going into the All-Star break. Shakira Austin led the team with 16 points and 8 rebounds in the loss. She shot 8-of-15 from the field and added three steals and three blocks.
Brittney Sykes is the team’s top scorer at 17.1 points per game. She was limited to just 8 points against Los Angeles while playing only 24 minutes. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen each had 8 points, while Sug Sutton added 14 points and 4 assists. Citron also added 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
Washington allows just 42.3% shooting on defense, which ranks fourth-best in the league. They also lead the WNBA in first-quarter defense, giving up only 19.8 points per opening quarter. Washington will need to set the tone early at home to avoid falling behind like they did in Los Angeles.
Sparks Preview – Riding Momentum Into D.C.
Los Angeles enters this game off their best offensive showing of the season. The Sparks put up 99 points in their win over Washington on July 15. Three players scored at least 20 points: Dearica Hamby with 26, Rae Burrell with 22, and Kelsey Plum with 20. The team shot over 50% from the field and had 27 total assists.
Julie Allemand didn’t score much but had a strong game as a passer and defender. She finished with 10 assists and a +22 plus-minus in 32 minutes. Her control of the offense helped Los Angeles stretch the lead in the second half. The Sparks also outrebounded the Mystics 34-26 and had 12 more assists.
On the season, Los Angeles ranks sixth in scoring at 83.2 points per game. They are fifth in the league in field goal percentage and fifth in three-point shooting at 34.7%. Their defense is still a work in progress. They allow 80.4 points per game and rank near the bottom in rebounding and steals.
Betting Prediction
Washington is listed as a 3.5-point favorite at home, with the total set at 167.5. The Sparks are +130 on the moneyline. This is the second meeting in a week between these teams. In the last matchup, Los Angeles covered easily as a 2-point favorite. The total went over 165.5 in that game.
The Sparks have the better offensive rhythm right now, led by Plum and Hamby. Washington needs to play stronger on defense and stop the Sparks’ transition game. The Mystics do play better at home, but the Sparks’ recent play and backcourt advantage may be too much. Look for Los Angeles to keep the game close or win outright.
Pick: Sparks +3.5
