Published Jul 9, 12:46am ET by
James Tillman - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jul 9, 12:46am ET
Shutterstock
One of Thursday's WNBA matchups features the Phoenix Mercury hosting the Indiana Fever. Given that both teams are coming off losses, who has the edge in our Mercury vs Fever pick?
|
|
|---|---|
| Phoenix Mercury | +5.5 (-110) |
| Indiana Fever | -5.5 (-110) |
The Mercury have won three of their last four. Unfortunately, their last outing was a 77-66 loss to the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night.
ALSO SEE: Dream vs Storm | Odds and NBA Pick (Jul 9)
Phoenix trailed by 12 points through three quarters before Kahleah Copper's 3-pointer trimmed the deficit to eight points with 1:02 left in regulation. But Jacy Sheldon knocked down a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to seal the win for Chicago.
Copper was one of three double-digit scorers for the Mercury. She finished with 25 points and four rebounds. DeWanna Bonner added 12 points and seven rebounds. Despite the solid individual efforts, though, Phoenix had trouble converting looks, shooting 37 percent overall and just 29 percent from deep.
The Fever had won three of their last four contests heading into Wednesday night's action. However, that stretch ended with a surprising 106-92 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Indiana pulled ahead by four at the end of the first quarter. But the Sparks seized control over the next two frames, courtesy of a 61-46 scoring advantage.
Kelsey Mitchell led the offense with 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Lexie Hull added 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field, giving Indiana another reliable scoring option in the backcourt.
Phoenix is currently a 5..5-point underdog. Here's what you need to know for both teams ahead of this Thursday night battle.
The Mercury are not a great home team, having won two of their last five games. Meanwhile, Indiana is slightly better on the road, posting three wins across its last five away from home.
Pairing these trends with the fact that the Fever have won three of the previous five meetings in this series makes backing Indiana the smart choice in this interconference showdown.
|
Pick
Indiana Fever (-5.5)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
