Valkyries vs Mercury WNBA Pick: Who Has The Edge In This Pivotal Western Conference Matchup? (Aug 19)

• The Golden State Valkyries are 18-16 and have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference.
• The Phoenix Mercury are 20-13 and own the No. 2 spot out west.
• These squads previously faced off on Jul. 14, with the Mercury claiming a 78-77 victory.

One of the games on Tuesday’s WNBA slate features the Golden State Valkyries hosting the Phoenix Mercury. Which team has the edge in our Valkyries vs Mercury pick?

Valkyries Look To Regroup Following Recent Setback Against Atlanta

Golden State saw its four-game win streak snapped, courtesy of a 79-63 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.

The teams produced just 25 points each during a low-scoring first half. However, Atlanta outscored Golden State by a 30-8 margin during a key stretch that covered the third and fourth quarters to take command of the game for good.

Veronica Burton led the way with 16 points and five assists. Cecilia Zandalasini added 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists for a Valkyries squad that shot 35 percent overall and just 24.1 percent from 3-point range.

Phoenix Aims To Make It Two Straight

The Mercury ended their recent two-game losing skid with an 85-82 victory against the Seattle Storm on Sunday.

Phoenix held a 43-37 advantage at the break and increased its lead to 67-60 heading into the final frame. Seattle rallied to take its first lead of the game at 78-75 with 2:20 left to play before the Mercury scored eight straight points and held on for a three-point victory.

Alyssa Thomas put together a solid, all-around performance. Her final stat line included 19 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds on an efficient 7-for-12 effort from the field. It was her 16th career triple-double in the regular season. Kahleah Copper registered 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Valkyries vs Mercury WNBA Pick

Golden State is 11th in points per game, but has the second-best scoring defense in the league, giving up just 76.8 points per outing. On the other side, Phoenix ranks seventh in offensive efficiency and has the third-lowest defensive rating.

Phoenix has won both matchups this season, and that trend will continue when these conference foes clash on Tuesday night. But given Golden State’s defensive prowess, look for this group to cover the 5.5-point spread.