Each day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the slate, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
Here's what to look for during today's slate:
Dallas Wings at Washington Mystics7:00 p.m ET, Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington, DC
Line: Mystics (-8)
Money line: Mystics (-360), Wings (+285)
Total: 156 points
Questionable: Natasha Cloud (COVID-19)
Ruled out: Satou Sabally, Elizabeth Williams, Kennedy Burke, Alysha Clark
Fantasy need to know: After two huge games to start the season, Natasha Cloud entered the WNBA's health and safety protocols earlier this week. She sat out Tuesday's game, and is questionable for tonight. Rui Machida (Available in 98.8% of leagues) made her first career start on Tuesday in place of Cloud, but her production (9 points, 4 assists, 1 3-pointer, 29 minutes) was modest. Rookie Shakira Austin had a double-double on Sunday when Elena Delle Donne sat, but in the two games Delle Donne played Austin has averaged only 3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13 MPG.
Teaira McCowan will make her season debut for the Mystics after missing the opener due to overseas commitments. The 6-7 center is a walking double-double, and her presence in the middle may help open things up on the perimeter for Arike Ogunbowale, who struggled in the opener. Kayla Thornton (88.1% available) is the most intriguing Wings player that's available in the majority of leagues, as a starter that scored eight of the team's 59 points in the opener and also added 3 steals, 5 boards and a 3-pointer in 35 minutes despite really struggling with her shot. -- - Andre Snellings
Best Bet: Mystics -8.0 points
This is a large spread, but the Mystics are playing at a level to justify it. Three games in, the Mystics are undefeated with an average scoring margin of 13.0 PPG. The Wings have only played one game thus far, but their seven point home loss to the Dream wasn't an auspicious start. With Delle Donne playing, the Mystics have legitimate championship aspirations to begin the season. -- Snellings
Las Vegas Aces at Atlanta Dream7:30 p.m ET, Gateway Center Arena, Atlanta, GA
Line: Aces (-6.5)
Money line: Aces (-400), Dream (+310)
Total: 167.5 points
Questionable: Riquna Williams
Ruled out: Kiah Stokes
Fantasy need to know: The Aces are a well-oiled machine on the fantasy hoops front, with five universally rostered players that dominate their production. Theresa Plaisance (96.8% available) is their most intriguing player available in most leagues, with a near double-double of 8 points and 9 rebounds in the opener and an average of 1.7 BPG on the season, but wouldn't be expected to produce big numbers with any consistency in their crowded frontcourt.
The Dream are off to a fast 2-0 start behind Rhyne Howard, who is off to a record-setting pace with at least four made 3-pointers in each of her first two WNBA games. Nia Coffey (61.7% available) was one rebound shy of a double-double in the opener, and though her scoring fell off she grabbed another eight boards in Game 2. Kristy Wallace (98.8% available) has started the first two games in place of Tiffany Howard and played solid ball, with one double digit scoring effort, one five-rebound game and exactly two assists and one steal in each game so far. -- Snellings
Best bet: Aces -6.5 points
The Dream are off to a surprisingly strong start, undefeated through two games, and Howard looks like a budding superstar. But, the Aces are championship contenders right now. They lost their last matchup against the surging Mystics, but won their first two meetings over the strong Mercury and Storm by a combined 29 points. -- Snellings
Indiana Fever at New York Liberty8:00 p.m ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Line: Liberty (-6.5)
Money line: Liberty (-280), Fever (+230)
Total: 159.5 points
Questionable: DiDi Richards
Ruled out: Bria Hartley, Rebecca Allen
Fantasy need to know: While Kelsey Mitchell is the star in the backcourt for the Fever, keep an eye on rookie Destanni Henderson (82.4% available). She broke out for a 19-point effort in 30 minutes of her second WNBA game, and is currently posting solid perimeter numbers on the season. Danielle Robinson (91.3% available) just joined the team on Tuesday and was activated on Wednesday, but started all 24 games she played in last season. Rookie Queen Egbo is putting up massive defensive numbers, fresh off a 5-steal, 3-block, 8-rebound effort on Tuesday against the Lynx.
For the Liberty, Sami Whitcomb (60.4% available) moved to the bench for the second game after Betnijah Laney arrived. While she went scoreless on Tuesday, she still dished five assists and played 26 minutes in an absolute blowout. It's hard to take much from that game, which the Liberty lost by 32 points while only scoring 50 as a team, but her getting so much run off the bench bodes well. Jocelyn Willoughby (97.3% available) managed 9 points in only 19 minutes of that blowout, and before that had an impressive debut with 13 points, 5 boards, 2 steals and a 3-pointer in the opener. -- Snellings
Best bet: Liberty -6.5 points
The season is so young that the shellacking the Liberty took against the Sky this week could unduly influence what we thinking of the Liberty, but remember that they opened the season by dispatching last season's juggernaut the Sun. The Fever are the lowest ranked team in the league according to the Basketball Power Index (BPI), and lost their first two games of the season by a combined 24 points before getting an upset win over the Lynx. -- Snellings
Article From & Read More ( WNBA fantasy and betting tips for Friday - ESPN )https://ift.tt/zkBu0f5
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