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Edgar Chaput
Minnesota Lynx vs Chicago Sky Prediction, WNBA Betting Odds
As the regular season nears its end, both the Minnesota Lynx (13-15) and Chicago Sky (12-15) are holding on to the seventh and eighth seeds, respectively. With the Los Angeles Sparks knocking on the door, these teams need wins to secure their tickets to the playoffs.
The WNBA odds have the Chicago Sky as -3.5 favourites heading into Tuesday’s tilt, with the total set at 164.5
Lynx vs Sky Betting Analysis Odds
Tuesday is the second time these foes cross paths in 2023. The first meeting was very early in the campaign in May when Chicago hosted Minnesota and claimed a 77-66 victory.
This season against the spread the Lynx have fared a bit better than their outright win-loss record suggests. They currently sit at 15-12-1. Minnesota had ridden a four-game winning streak ATS until the New York Liberty beat them last Friday. Take note that they have covered their last three opportunities on the road. The over and under have shared the spoils at 14-14.
It’s a similar story with the Chicago Sky, whose 12-15 tally in the standings has translated to 15-10-2 when considering the spread. They’re coming in hot into this contest, having not merely won three in a row but covered each time as well. Conversely, Chicago has fallen in three of its last four home games. The over is 13-14 in games involving the Sky. It should also be noted that Ruthy Hebard will not partake in this contest. She is serving a one-game suspension for leaving the bench as tensions flared on Sunday against the Dallas Wings.
Minnesota Lynx
The winning streak against top clubs couldn’t last forever. After losing the second of back-to-back away contests to the Connecticut Sun, the Lynx returned north to host the New York Liberty. This time it didn’t go so well.
After surprising the Brooklyn-based outfit a week prior in its own backyard, on Sunday it was the East Coast club that won the day 76-66. The final belies how close the contest was in the first half. It was a one-point match at the break – 42-41 favouring the Lynx. The second half, and especially the fourth quarter, was when the second-best team in the WNBA showed why they rank so highly. Three-point shooting (30 per cent to 18.8 per cent favouring New York) and rebounding (43 to 32, also favouring the Liberty) were stories of the final two periods.
Napheesa Collier returned from a brief injury absence to net 18 points and grab eight boards. Kayla McBride wasn’t far behind with 14 points of her own, but ultimately Minnesota couldn’t go blow for blow with New York.
Chicago Sky
The Sky have given their postseason chances an excellent boost by sweeping a two-game set in Dallas against the Wings. Most would have predicted either a Dallas sweep or a split, making the back-to-back Sky victories all the more surprising.
After clipping the Wings 104-89 on Friday, they dealt Dallas a second blow on Sunday, 104-96. By the time the second bout wound down in the final seconds, tension began to flare. Dana Evans and Dallas’ Odyssey Sims got tangled up late and it looked as though Evans had had just about enough of the physicality. It was a black mark on an otherwise professional, workmanlike victory for Chicago. The Sky rained three-point shots (12-for-26), many of them courtesy of smart passing that left shooters open.
Marina Mabrey led the charge with 32 points, with Kahleah Copper serving has her main partner in crime (23 points).
