WNBA 2nd Round Playoff Odds – Preview and Picks for Minnesota Lynx vs Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm vs Phoenix Mercury
- The second round of the WNBA Playoffs features a doubleheader of single-elimination games on Sunday, Sept. 25th airing on ABC and ESPN2
- The fourth seed Seattle Storm and fifth seed Phoenix Mercury kick action off, followed by third seed Minnesota Lynx hosting sixth seed Chicago Sky
- See below for the latest odds, analysis and the best bet for the games
After an entertaining first round of the playoffs on Thursday, the second round of the WNBA Playoffs will begin on Sunday, Sept. 25th featuring a pair of single-elimination games with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
To tip things off in the second round, the fourth seed Seattle Storm host the fifth seed Phoenix Mercury at 3pm ET on ABC, with the third seed Minnesota Lynx and the sixth seed Chicago Sky wrapping things up at 5pm ET on ESPN2.
The winners of both games will advance to play either the top-seeded Connecticut Sun or the second-seeded Las Vegas Aces in the best-of-five semifinal round on Tuesday, Sept. 28th.
Sept. 26th WNBA Playoff Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Mercury | -3.0 (-110) | -155 | Over 163.5 (-110) |
| Seattle Storm | +3.0 (-110) | +135 | Under 163.5 (-110) |
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
| Chicago Sky | +4.0 (-110) | +155 | Over 165.5 (-110) |
| Minnesota Lynx | -4.0 (-110) | -180 | Under 165.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Sept. 25th at DraftKings
Storm, Mercury Battle in Seattle
In the first game of the doubleheader in the second round of the playoffs, Seattle and Phoenix will face off in a game that will likely be a competitive between the 4-5 seeds.
During the regular season, these two teams played a total of three times, with the Storm claiming two of those three games in the series. Seattle, the defending WNBA Champions, enter the postseason 5-5 in its final 10 games. Phoenix is coming off of a comeback win over New York in the first round of the playoffs, overcoming a late deficit to pull out a thrilling win to stay alive in its pursuit of a title.
For the Storm, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird have led the charge all year long. Stewart averaged 20.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 blocks during the regular season, while Loyd averaged 17.9 points, four rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals and Bird tallied 10 points, 5.3 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. Stewart, however, has been ruled out of the game due to injury, which could impact Sunday’s game.
Leading the way for the Mercury this season was Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi. Griner averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game, followed by Diggins-Smith with 17.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals and Taurasi with 15.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Taurasi didn’t play in the opening round game for Phoenix, so she is a player to keep an eye on as far as if she is able to play Sunday afternoon.
Lynx, Sky Match Up in Minnesota
In the second and final game of the single-elimination second round on Sunday, the third seed Minnesota hosts the sixth seed Chicago for a chance to advance in the playoffs.
The Lynx come in having finished the regular season winners in nine of their final 10 games, also winning four in a row going into the playoffs. The Sky are coming off of a convincing victory over the Dallas Wings in the first round of the postseason, advancing to yet another single-elimination round on Sunday.
The trio of Napheesa Collier, Sylvia Fowles and Kayla McBride have lifted the Lynx for most of the regular season, with Collier leading the way with 16.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Fowles averaged 16 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 assists, while McBride averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
For the Sky, leading the way during the regular season was Kahleah Copper with 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists and Candace Parker with 13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, four assists and 1.2 blocks. Behind them, Allie Quigley averaged 13.2 points, Diamond DeShields averaged 11.3 points and 3.5 rebounds and Courtney Vandersloot tallied 10.5 points, a WNBA-best 8.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game.
During the regular season, Minnesota and Chicago faced each other two times, with the Sky taking the first game on June 15th in Minnesota and the Lynx winning the second game on Aug. 21st in Chicago.
Predictions and Best Bet
If the first round of the playoffs was any indication as to how entertaining the second round will be, fans are in for a treat while watching and betting on Sunday.
At the end of the night, it will be likely that we see Minnesota take care of business at home and stay hot into the postseason while taking down Chicago, as well as Seattle defending its home court and having its veteran poise kick in to fend off Phoenix. If those results play out, that would mean the Lynx would advance to the semifinals to play Las Vegas, and the Storm would advance to play Connecticut.
When it comes to the best bet of the night, look at the early spread set in the Phoenix and Seattle game, which has the Mercury as three-point favorites. This game will be a close one, even with the Storm being shorthanded, but Seattle should still be a good spot to cover and come away with a win.
- The Pick: Seattle +3.0 (-110)
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.
