Clinging to the last spot in the WNBA playoffs, the Chicago Sky desperately seek a win Friday night when they host the Los Angeles Sparks.
Losers of seven in a row, Chicago is still considered a 5-point home favorite tonight, and my Sparks vs Sky prediction feels that spread is justified.
With L.A. literally the last soft-landing spot for the rest of its schedule, see why my September 6 WNBA picks call for Chicago to maintain its hold on the eighth seed, for at least one more day.
Sparks vs Sky predictions
My best bet
Chicago -5 (-110 at FanDuel)
My analysis
Somehow, someway, the Chicago Sky have not fallen off the playoff board despite dropping seven straight, including last game’s 90-71 demolition at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces.
There’s no room for error now, though. Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington all have 11 wins, and a loss would drop them out of the eight spot.
The Sky are struggling to score, posting a paltry 74.1 points per game over the last seven, the lowest scoring output of any WNBA team over that span. Their 41.1% mark from the field is ahead of only the Atlanta Dream’s 38.8% clip, and they’re turning the ball over a league-worst 16.7 times per contest.
A defense that ranks in the top half of the league in opponent scoring is serving up 84 points per game on 44.1% shooting from the field, nowhere close to covering up Chicago’s sputtering offense.
Perhaps the only good news for the Sky is the Los Angeles Sparks have been tanking for weeks. Injuries and poor play have the Sparks reeling, and they have just two wins in their last 13, and they boast the league’s worst point differential at minus-7.4.
This is the third and final meeting between these teams, with the Sky seeking a series sweep for the second consecutive season. They snuck by the Sparks on Aug 17 by a 90-86 score. You have to go all the way back to May 30 for the first matchup, an 83-73 win before the Sparks packed in their season.
Can the Sparks play spoiler? If you look at their last seven games, where they’ve gone 1-6, L.A. owns a 5-2-0 record against the spread. However, only one of those lines was lower than Friday’s 5-point spread, and only one of those wins was for a cover under double digits.
This is the break Chicago needs. If the Sky are serious about making the playoffs, this one has to be a big-time W.
Sparks vs Sky same-game parlay (SGP)
Chicago -5
Angel Reese Over 27.5 points + reb
Dearica Hamby Under 16.5 points
Even as the losses have mounted, Sky rookie Angel Reese has been putting in work. She’s now gone 27 games with at least 10 rebounds, after she recorded another double-double in the loss to the Aces, with 12 points and 16 boards.
Reese has a 27.5 total for points and rebounds Friday, and it’s a fair number, considering she’s totaled 28 or more in five of her last seven games.
One of those games where she went under was against these Sparks — which happened to be the last time the Sky won a game. With the stakes this high, though, expect Reese to feature prominently in this must-win.
While it’s been a tough year overall for the Sparks, Dearica Hamby has put together a solid campaign, averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. Her scoring line Friday looks like a reasonable 16.5 points, but the Sparks forward’s play has faltered since the Olympic break.
Hamby has scored fewer than 17 seven times in the last nine games. One of those games was against the Sky, where she managed just seven points on 2-for-8 shooting. She’s failed to top double-digit points four times over that stretch.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Sparks vs Sky odds
Sparks vs Sky live odds
Get the latest Sparks vs Sky WNBA odds for tonight.
Sparks vs Sky opening odds
- Spread: Los Angeles +5 (-110) | Chicago -5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Los Angeles +184 | Chicago -230
- Over/Under: Over 163.5 (-112) | Under 163.5 (-108)
Sparks vs Sky spread and Over/Under analysis
- At 4-12, Chicago is tied for the worst home record in the WNBA.
- The Sparks are 1-9 in their last 10 overall.
- The Under has cashed in six of the last eight meetings.
- The Sky have gone Under the total in four of their last five.
Sparks vs Sky trend
Chicago is 5-0 against the spread vs L.A. in the last five games. Find more WNBA betting trends for Sparks vs. Sky.
Sparks vs Sky game info
| Location: | Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL |
| Date: | Friday, 9-7-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Fubo Sports |
Sparks vs Sky latest injuries
Sparks: Layshia Clarendon G (Out); Lexie Brown G (Out).
Sky: Elizabeth Williams C (Out).
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.
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