Playoff basketball isn’t here yet, but that intensity will be in the atmosphere as the Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky prepare to duel at Wintrust Arena.
Chicago, winners of nine of its last 10 games, are equally impressive as Seattle, which has secured victories in eight of its previous 10.
This is only the second showdown between the two powerhouses, with the first matchup ending in a gritty 74-71 victory for the Storm. Both teams are amongst the best but beating Chicago twice in a single season is a tall task for anyone.
Read our WNBA picks and predictions below.
Storm vs Sky odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The line opened up Tuesday evening with a -2.5 spread in favor of the Sky, which still remains the same. The total opened up at 161.5 and hasn’t moved.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until tip-off and be sure to check out the full WNBA odds before placing your bets.
Storm vs Sky predictions
Predictions made on 7/20/2022 at 12:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the WNBA, here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) Candace Parker Over 9.5 rebounds, Emma Meesseman Over 12.5 points, and Kahleah Copper Over 2.5 assists BOOSTED to +800 at bet365! Claim Now
B) Kahleah Copper Over 15.5 points and Over 6.5 rebounds, Candace Parker Over 4.5 assists BOOSTED to +600 at bet365! Claim Now
*Eligible USA locations only
Storm vs Sky info
• Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL
• Date: Wednesday, July 20, 2022
• Tip-off: 12:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBA TV
Storm vs Sky betting preview
Key injuries
Storm: Mercedes Russell C (Out).
Sky: Courtney Vandersloot G (Out).
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Storm are 0-6 against the spread in their last six games playing on two days of rest. Find more WNBA betting trends for Storm vs. Sky.
Storm vs Sky picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
The Sky and the Storm do so many things well, but several factors lead me to believe the Sky will prevail in a matchup that is anticipated to be close.
The Sky are one of the best scoring offenses in the league, scoring 86 points per game, the second-best mark in the WNBA. They combine their prolific scoring with a 47.9 field goal percentage, ranking the best in the league by over two percentage points.
In contrast, the Storm score 80.8 points per game, ranking eighth best in the league. They combine that with a field goal percentage of 43.3%, which ranks seventh best. The Storm were, however, efficient from behind the arc (35.4%) but still trailed the Sky narrowly in that category (36.4%).
The Storm will look to combat the Sky’s elite offense with maybe the most dominating defense in the WNBA. Seattle leads the league in defensive efficiency and steals, scoring 22.1% of their points off turnovers.
The Storm have held teams under 80 points in their last four games and will look to stunt the Sky’s incredibly productive offense. The Sky scored over 85 points in four of the last six games.
The previous matchup between the two teams saw the Storm slow down the Sky’s offense, but that was in the early portion of the schedule, where teams were still adjusting and figuring out chemistry.
Prediction: Sky -2.5 (-115 at BetMGM)
Over/Under analysis
This game will be a battle of elite offense clashing with elite defense. Each team continues to surge ahead in July doing what they do best. The Sky are averaging 88 points per game in July, while the Storm boasts an impressive 86.8 defensive rating.
Seattle has four players in the Top 20 in the league's defensive rating. Breanna Stewart, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, is a stellar defender and all-around player on the short list of MVP hopefuls. Seattle plays smothering defense, and Stewart is a big-game player who could use this game as her moment to shift the MVP narrative in her favor as the regular season is nearing an end.
In the May game between the two teams, Seattle did an excellent job of slowing the game down and refusing to let the Sky get comfortable on offense. Sky forward Azura Stevens had a successful match against the Sky, scoring 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting, which is well over her average of 10.5 points per game. However, it is fair to wonder about her chances of duplicating such a performance.
In their last game against a Top-3 defense, Chicago performed very well, securing a 91-83 victory over the Sun. In Seattle's last game against a Top-3 offense, they held Las Vegas' very best offense in the league to 78 points total.
This can go either way, but we'll lean toward a low-scoring duel.
Prediction: Under 161.5 (-112 at FanDuel)
Best bet
Outside of a rare loss at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx on July 6, the Sky have overmatched every team they’ve faced of late. In their last 19 games, the Sky have come out victorious in 16 matchups.
The Sky have won many of these matchups relatively easily with 15 of the 16 victories coming by three or more points. Four of those matchups were also double-digit wins, further solidifying the Sky as a team capable of running teams off the court.
This will undoubtedly be a challenging game where the two teams will be clawing back and forth throughout, but the Sky are the defending champs for a reason, and that is enough to give them a slight edge in this one.
Pick: Sky -2.5 (-115 at BetMGM)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s WNBA Storm vs. Sky predictions and picks in a single-game parlay, you could win $25.39 on a $10 bet?
Use our WNBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
