Published Jun 8, 5:20pm ET by
James Tillman - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 8, 5:20pm ET
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Updated Jun 8, 5:20pm ET
One of Tuesday's WNBA matchups features the Golden State Valkyries hosting the Phoenix Mercury. Who has the edge in our Valkyries vs Mercury pick?
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| Golden State Valkyries | -9 (-110) |
| Phoenix Mercury | +9 (-110) |
Golden State kicked the season off with six wins across its first nine games. However, the team has dropped two straight, including an 84-79 setback against the Las Vegas Aces on Jun. 6.
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The Valkyries positioned themselves for an upset against the defending champions, taking a one‑point lead late in the fourth quarter. But a pull‑up three from Jackie Young swung the momentum back to Las Vegas, and two made free throws each from Young and A’ja Wilson helped the Aces close out a five‑point win.
Gabby Williams scored a career-high 27 points along with six rebounds on 10-for-17 shooting. Veronica Burton scored 15 points and collected six rebounds. Golden State struggled to find an offensive rhythm, shooting 39 percent overall and just 31 percent from 3-point range.
The Mercury had dropped six straight before recently finding their groove. They have won each of their last two games, with the latest triumph coming by way of a 78-72 victory over the Portland Fire.
Phoenix trailed by a point in the final frame before DeWanna Bonner knocked down a three to put the Mercury ahead 64–62. Jovana Nogic later added a jumper to make it 68–67, and Phoenix never trailed again, as five players combined to go 10‑for‑12 at the free‑throw line to close it out.
Bonner led the offense with 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Natasha Mack added 16 points and four rebounds, shooting 7‑of‑11 from the field. Despite being outscored in the paint and losing the rebounding battle, the Mercury generated 23 points off 20 Portland turnovers.
Golden State enters this battle as a nine-point favorite. Here's a look at what you need to know for both teams ahead of this contest.
The Valkyries have dropped four of the previous five meetings in this series. Even so, this group enters with the league’s third‑highest offensive rating and ranks third in scoring defense and fifth in defensive rating. Based on those trends, Golden State holds the edge here.
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Pick
Golden State Valkyries (-9)
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