Sky vs Mercury Game 2 Odds and Picks – 2021 WNBA Finals
- Chicago and Phoenix resume play in the WNBA Finals during Game 2 at 9pm ET on Wednesday, Oct. 13th on ESPN
- The sixth-seeded Sky hold a 1-0 lead over the fifth-seed Mercury in the best-of-five championship series
- See below for the latest odds, analysis and the best bet for Game 2
The WNBA Finals continues on Wednesday, Oct. 13th when the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury battle in Game 2 of the best-of-five championship series at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The sixth-seed Chicago is coming off of claiming Game 1 on Sunday, taking a 1-0 series advantage over the fifth-seed Phoenix while now sitting just two games away from claiming the league title.
Sky vs Mercury WNBA Finals Game 2 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Sky | +3.5 (-105) | +144 | Over 168.5 (-110) |
| Phoenix Mercury | -3.5 (-115) | -178 | Under 168.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Oct. 12th at FanDuel
Sky Hold 1-0 Series Lead
To open up the WNBA Finals on Sunday, Chicago jumped out to a lead early in the first half and didn’t look back, cruising en route to a 91-77 victory.
.@chicagosky TAKES A 1-0 LEAD 🔥
The Sky got the dub behind SIX Sky players in double figures 🎯#WNBAFinals presented by @youtubeTV pic.twitter.com/2pOorFkWXm
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 10, 2021
Chicago went on a few large runs to seal the win, including a 17-0 run right before halftime to jump out to a double-digit lead and not look back.
If the Sky continue to play the way they did in Game 1, they are going to be a very tough team to top in a series and Phoenix could have its work cut out for it to try and come away with the title.
In Game 1, Kahleah Copper was outstanding for Chicago, leading the Sky with a team-best 21 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists.
Allie Quigley added 18 points and Candace Parker finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Stefanie Dolson added 14 points, while Courtney Vandersloot tallied 12 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds.
The trio of Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Skylar Diggins-Smith continued to lead Phoenix in Game 1, but the Mercury weren’t able to get much else going outside of them.
Griner had a team-best 20 points and six rebounds, Taurasi had 17 points and three rebounds, and Diggins-Smith added 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Keys to Game 2
One thing evident in Game 1 was the Sky looking fresh, the advantage of a few extra days of rest.
The Mercury might have been a little fatigued after taking their semifinals series a full five games to reach the Finals.
One of the keys of the game will be how Phoenix handles Chicago’s spurts. The Mercury jumped out to an early lead in Game 1, only to allow Chicago to go on a run before halftime to take control.
Phoenix needs to limit the amount of runs that Chicago is able to go on, while taking advantage of the home crowd to make things tough on the Sky.
Game 2 of the #WNBAFinals presented by @YoutubeTV kicks off THIS Wednesday at 9pm/ET on ESPN 😤
Let us know in the comments who you got winning 👇 pic.twitter.com/VxvIfEqPGD
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 11, 2021
Another key will be Phoenix getting contributions from players not named Griner, Taurasi or Diggins-Smith, something that didn’t occur in the first game of the series.
For Chicago, it will have to continue to display its balanced attack on the offensive end of the floor while remaining the solid defensive team we’ve seen to this point.
If the Sky are able to display their dominant balance offensively and defensively, they will come away with another win on the road to take a 2-0 lead.
If the Mercury are able to take Chicago out of things early on and get some contributions outside of their big three, this series will be tied 1-1 going to Chicago for Game 3.
WNBA Finals Schedule and TV Times
| Game 2 – Oct. 13th | Time | TV information |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago at Phoenix | 9pm ET | ESPN |
| Game 3 – Oct. 15th | Time | TV information |
| Phoenix at Chicago | 9pm ET | ESPN2 |
| Game 4 (if necessary) – Oct. 17th | Time | TV information |
| Phoenix at Chicago | 3pm ET | ESPN |
| Game 5 (if necessary) – Oct. 19th | Time | TV information |
| Chicago at Phoenix | 9pm ET | ESPN2 |
Prediction and Best Bet
Chicago has looked awfully tough in pursuit of a WNBA championship, but this series has the potential to still be entertaining, and one that could go back and forth for at least the first few games.
Going into Game 2 Wednesday, expect Phoenix to come out with a sense of urgency to not only avoid dropping another game at home but to even the series at 1-1 going into Game 3 in Chicago.
As far as the best bet in the game, go with the Mercury as 3.5-point favorites. Phoenix should be able to bounce back in this game, winning by more than those 3.5 points.
- The Pick: Phoenix -3.5 (-115)
Mitchell has a decade of experience in journalism, marketing, communications and digital fields, having covered sports teams and leagues on all levels. He has spent more than seven years covering the WNBA and NBA, among other sports. You can follow him on Twitter @M_Hansen13.
