Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx
The Mercury are finally heating up and starting to look like the defending WNBA champions. Thursday night’s 123-91 victory over Tulsa might have been there best outing of the season.
Setting WNBA records with a 67 first-half points and a 36-point second quarter, the Mercury won for the fourth time in its past five games after snapping a long losing skid.
“Records are nice, but as long as you win the game,” said the Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, who scored a game-high 26 points. “I think we are more happy that we got to play really good basketball for long stretches.”
The same cannot be said for the Lynx, which has lost two in a row and four of its last six. Minnesota has averaged just 74 points per game in its last five outings, more than 30 points less than the Mercury.
Pick: Mercury
Chicago Sky at San Antonio Silver Stars
The Sky has been playing lights-out defence lately, holding its last five opponents to just 60.6 points per game.
The first win in that span was an 88-61 rout of the Silver Stars, who have rebounded to win two of their last four but not because of their offence.
Both teams like to grind it out on the defensive end and the Sky, shooting just 38.4 percent on the road this season, are coming off a Friday night game and plane ride to San Antonio.
All signs point to a defensive struggle.
Pick: Under