- The Fire came up just short as big underdogs against the Lynx, losing by a score of 85-81.
- Phoenix earned a bounce back win against the Sparks on Tuesday, defeating them 94-87.
- These two teams last faced off back on June 5, in a matchup that the Mercury won 78-72.
The Fire and Mercury face off in a flaming hot WNBA battle. Both teams are barely holding onto dwindling postseason hopes, seeking to win in this game to stay alive as they fight for the 8-seed.
Fire Looking to Stay Live in Playoff Race
The Fire continue to exceed expectations, despite falling to 13-20 in their most recent loss to Minnesota. It was a closely contested loss that showed how much Portland has improved, despite being without their starting backcourt of Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee-Barker. After winning back-to-back games prior to the loss, the Fire will be aiming to get back on track and remain alive in the playoff race with a win over the Mercury.
Post-Trade Mercury Still Seeking Wins
Phoenix made a notable move to acquire Kelsey Plum right before the WNBA trade deadline, a head-scratching move for a team that has not been competitive this season. A 5-4 record over their last nine games may be an indicator that the trade is helping the Mercury to click, but they still face a long ways to go to climb into a playoff spot in the final 9 games of the season. They need to start by winning this game.
Fire vs Mercury WNBA Pick
Portland and Phoenix fought closely in their first matchup of the season, with the Mercury getting the edge in an underwhelming offensive performance for the Fire. This time around, much has changed in Phoenix’s favor; notably the addition of Kelsey Plum and the several key injuries to Portland’s starting-5. Still, the Fire have played great basketball lately and are prone to big surprises. I like Portland to claim the upset here.
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Pick
Portland Fire (+115)
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