The Minnesota Lynx will try to take both ends of a home-and-home set when they visit the Washington Mystics on Saturday afternoon.
Lynx vs Mystics predictions
My best bet
Lynx -6.5 (-106 at FanDuel)
My analysis
The Minnesota Lynx currently hold the No. 3 seed in the WNBA standings, though they're just a game back of the Sun while trailing the Liberty by four games. Their final push to the postseason started with great news, as forward Napheesa Collier was back in the lineup and back to being her dominant self.
The fifth-leading scorer in the league and third-leading rebounder, Collier looks all the way back from a foot injury that held her out of the final five games before the Olympic break.She finished with 17 points and 12 boards against the Washington Mystics.
Washington shot just 37.5% from the field, which included a rough 7-for-25 mark from distance, a lowly 28% clip.
There's still a possibility the Mystics could find their way into the postseason. They're just 4.5 games back of the Sky for the eighth and final playoff spot but with 14 games left and three other teams ahead of them in the standings, it would take some magic. Minnesota is probably not the best team to start that streak against, especially because the Lynx have won five of the last six head-to-head meetings.
Expect a similar script to the last matchup: the Mystics should be able to go toe-to-toe with the Lynx through the first three quarters before Minnesota’s defense puts the vice grips on in winning time to take it going away.
Lynx vs Mystics same-game parlay (SGP)
Lynx -6.5
Napheesa Collier Over 18.5 points
Alanna Smith Over 6.5 rebounds
Napheesa Collier looked fine while playing for Team USA in Paris, playing at least 24 minutes in each of the final five games. Ranking Top 5 in minutes per game this season at 34.7, the Lynx handled their franchise player with care, limiting her to 30 minutes in her first game back.
With that game under her belt, Collier will likely get the workload she’s used to on Saturday, and with that, I like her to push past the 18.5-point scoring line. She's gone for 19 points or fewer in four straight games, the longest stretch for her this WNBA season.
We’ll wrap with forward Alanna Smith, who finished Thursday’s game against the Mystics with 12 points and eight boards. She's now topped this 6.5-rebound line in three straight games. With Washington ranking dead last in rebounding, it’s another opportunity for the 6-foot-4 forward to clean the glass.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Lynx vs Mystics odds
Lynx vs Mystics live odds
Get the latest Lynx vs Mystics WNBA odds for tonight.
Lynx vs Mystics opening odds
- Spread: Minnesota -6.5 | Washington +6.5
- Moneyline: Minnesota -300 | Washington +240
- Over/Under: Over 155.5 | Under 155.5
Lynx vs Mystics spread and Over/Under analysis
- Washington is 3-9 at home this season.
- Minnesota is 16-10-1 against the spread this year.
- The Under has cashed in four of the last five meetings.
- The Lynx’s Under record is 7-2-1 in the last 10.
Lynx vs Mystics trend
Washington is 16-9-1 ATS this season. Find more WNBA betting trends for Lynx vs. Mystics.
Lynx vs Mystics game info
| Location: | St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, D.C. |
| Date: | Saturday, 8-17-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 2:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | WNBA League Pass |
Lynx vs Mystics latest injuries
Lynx: No key injuries to report.
Mystics: No key injuries to report.
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.
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