WNBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (8/30)
After a day off on Thursday, the WNBA season ramps back up with an entertaining four-game slate on Friday night. Our WNBA picks and bets for Friday feature Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever taking on Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky with plenty of playoff implications. Plus, we have a pick in the Liberty vs. Storm late-night tipoff. Note that all betting lines are accurate as of this writing, but shop around for the best odds. Enjoy these top WNBA predictions and betting picks.
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Friday’s Best WNBA Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Indiana Fever (-5) at Chicago Sky - 165.5 O/U (-110/-110)
If you follow women's basketball at all, you know plenty about the Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese rivalry. The two rookie stars had some memorable battles in college and will be going head-to-head for years to come in the WNBA. Friday night gives us the fourth meeting between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky this season. Let's see how to bet it.
Indiana has been playing very well since the Olympics break, going 4-1 in their past five games. This hot stretch includes upset victories over Connecticut and Seattle. The Fever are also 4-1 against-the-spread (ATS) this month and now 13-5 ATS since the middle of June.
Since the season resumed, the Fever have averaged 87.6 points per game (PPG), third-most in the WNBA, while shooting 38.6% from three-point range (second). The offense is clicking with Clark and Kelsey Mitchell benefiting from the extended time off. Clark especially seems refreshed, averaging 22.6 PPG and shooting 45.2% from the field this month - both up from her season-long marks (18.0 PPG, 41.4%). Mitchell, meanwhile, has scored 21+ points in five straight games while averaging 25.6 PPG in this stretch.
The Fever, now 12-6 over their last 18 games, have improved as the season has progressed. They're now trending towards moving up to the No. 6 seed in the postseason picture. Indiana also has the third-best net rating in August, trailing only the Lynx and Liberty. That's an impressive company to be a part of.
Chicago, on the other hand, is slumping this month. The Sky have lost four straight games and are 1-5 since play resumed. Since the Olympics break, the Sky are averaging a league-low 74.7 PPG with the worst three-point shooting percentage (28.8%) and third-worst net rating.
To make matters worse, Chicago is dealing with illnesses around the team. Chennedy Carter, the Sky's best player, sat out the last game due to health and safety protocols. The whole team is reportedly testing for COVID-19 and there could be other players impacted right now. It's a bit unknown who else may be sick or who could be out on Friday.
There's a chance Carter is out again, which is a big detriment to Chicago's offense. She's averaging a team-high 17.2 PPG this season. Without her in the lineup, the Sky mustered only 70 points in Wednesday's loss to Washington. If Carter is out or even limited, Chicago's backcourt talent and depth are huge worries - especially since Marina Mabrey was traded away earlier this month.
Take Indiana to cover on the road here as the clear better team right now. If you need a couple of other spread trends, check these out. The Fever are 3-0 ATS against the Sky this season. Chicago is also just 2-9 ATS as a road underdog while Indiana is 5-2 ATS in its past seven games as a favorite.
WNBA Pick: Fever -5 (-114)
New York Liberty (-2) at Seattle Storm - 163.5 O/U (-110/-110)
The best WNBA game on Friday night features the Seattle Storm hosting the New York Liberty. It's a matchup between two of the top five teams in the current standings with plenty of star power on both sides.
New York is coming off a surprising loss to last-place Los Angeles on Wednesday. Despite the slight hiccup, the Liberty still boasts the best record in the WNBA and are 14-3 over their past 17 contests. Losing to the Sparks isn't ideal, but it should force New York to come out stronger and more motivated in this road matchup against a better opponent.
This is a trend for the Liberty this season. They have regularly underperformed against the worst teams in the league while putting forth better efforts against top competition. New York is 14-3 ATS when favored by single digits or as an underdog this year. Conversely, the Liberty are just 2-13 ATS as double-digit favorites - like they were against L.A. last game.
Backing New York off a down performance gives us a great buy-low opportunity here. The Liberty are 4-1 in games after a loss this season.
Meanwhile, the Storm don't offer much confidence right now. Since the Olympics break, they're just 2-3 with the pair of victories being narrow ones over two of the league's worst teams (Atlanta and Washington). Plus, Seattle is 0-5 ATS this month and just 2-9 ATS over the past 11 contests. It's also notable the Storm haven't played anyone with a winning record since mid-July and have only faced two such opponents over their last 14 games.
Friday could be a rude awakening for Seattle against a motivated New York team coming off an embarrassing loss. Take the Liberty to win and cover as they make a statement to the rest of the league that the title favorites haven't gone anywhere.
WNBA Pick: Liberty -2 (-112)