Mercury Will Rise To Beat Sky

Mercury vs. Sky, 8:00 ET

We back, baby!

That's right, the WNBA returns and with it comes my impressive record in betting these games. I personally love basketball more than any sport, so not having the WNBA to play on a nightly basis was a little frustrating, but luckily the Olympics had enough basketball to hold me over. Now the women return to the floor and look to make their pushes for the playoffs, and others look to position themselves for the upcoming draft. I'll be honest, we have one team in this one, the Mercury, looking toward the playoffs, while the other, the Sky, is probably looking at the draft to improve for next year.

The Mercury come into the game with a 13-12 record which really won't impress anyone. They have been rather streaky all year, but some of that needs to be put into a bit of context. They acquired a superstar to add to their team in Kahleah Copper during the offseason, and they also added a new point guard to the roster in Natasha Cloud. Both of those players are starters, and it can take some time for teams to adjust to new players. Then in the middle of the season, Brittney Griner returned to the mix, causing the team to improve, but also once again need to adjust their rotations, roster, and usage. Copper has been their leading scorer for the majority of games this season and Cloud has found a way to involve herself in just about every game through scoring, assisting, or even rebounding. The elephant in the room here is Diana Taurasi who is still on the team and playing well, but does seem to have lost a bit of a step. She barely played in the Olympics and it was clear that the other players have passed her up. It isn't meant as disrespect toward Taurasi who already has secured her spot as one of the best to ever lace 'em up. This is hurting the team defensively, but in fairness to her, offensively she is still executing at a high enough level that she can contribute to the team without hurting too much.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 05: Angel Reese #5 and Chennedy Carter #7 of the Chicago Sky celebrate their 88-84 win against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on July 05, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

On the Chicago Sky side, the team has already made indications of their goals with the trading away of Marina Mabrey before the deadline. Mabrey was one of, if not the best player on the Sky. She was virtually the only person you need to guard outside of the 3-point line. Now the team is focused on beating you down low with Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. With Griner, I do expect at least one of these two women to struggle tonight. Cardoso, who started the season with an injury has left a bit to be desired even in her return. She is averaging just 8.1 points per game and 7.8 rebounds. She needs to be more involved in the offense. Reese has done a great job of rebounding, but if you want to be critical of her, her scoring is lacking and a lot of rebounds come from her putting up ugly shots. Again, not trying to hate on the girl, she is talented and has one of the best motors in the league - I also think she is actually great with fans, despite having a less-than-stellar public perception. Chennedy Carter is one player who can pour in points and probably keep the Sky close in this one. I assume Cloud or Copper will guard her and that's not an easy task for them.

This restart will be a bit strange for most of these teams, but three starters on the Mercury played in the Olympics. I would normally be a bit worried about fatigue, but the players have been back long enough. It isn't like the Sky players have been sitting around doing nothing, but three main players for the Mercury have been playing competitive basketball. I think the Sky can remain competitive in this one, but I ultimately think the Mercury will be the better team especially without Mabrey on the floor for the Sky. Back Mercury to cover the -2.5.

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