Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury (9-23) face Nneka Ogwumike and the Los Angeles Sparks (13-18) on August 23, 2023 at Galen Center on CBS Sports Network and AZFamily.
Dive into the best bets available (based on our computer predictions) for Wednesday’s game, before you place an informed wager on the matchup.
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Spread: Mercury (-10.5) to Cover
- The spread for this game suggested by the model (6.2 points) is much tighter than the 10.5-point edge DraftKings gives to the Sparks, though the data still has them as the favorite. Put your money on the Mercury to cover.
- The Mercury have a 9-20-0 record against the spread this season.
- When it has played as at least a 10.5-point underdog this year, Phoenix is 1-5 against the spread.
- The Sparks’ ATS record is 17-13-0 this season.
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Total: Over 154
- The DraftKings point total for this game is just 6.8 points lower than the model projection.
- This year, the Sparks games have finished over 154 points scored, their current matchup’s over/under, 18 (out of 30) times.
- A total of 18 Phoenix’s games this season (out of 29) have had more than 154 total points scored.
- Sparks games have hit the over in 13 out of 29 opportunities (44.8%).
- The Mercury have hit the over in 12 of their 29 games with a set total (41.4%).
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Moneyline Winner: Sparks (-535)
- Prediction: Sparks 83, Mercury 77
- Los Angeles has put together a 5-5 record in games when it was favored on the moneyline (winning 50% of those games).
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Sparks Leaders
- The Sparks leader in points and rebounds is Ogwumike, who scores 19.7 points and grabs 9.1 rebounds per game.
- Jordin Canada is Los Angeles’ best passer, dishing out 6.0 assists per game while scoring 13.8 PPG.
- Karlie Samuelson leads the Sparks in three-point shooting, knocking down an average of 1.3 shots per game from beyond the arc.
- Canada is Los Angeles’ leader in steals, averaging 2.0 steals per game, while Ogwumike leads them in blocks with 0.8 per contest.
Sparks Injuries
| Name | Game Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Lexie Brown | Out | Illness |
| Chiney Ogwumike | Out | Foot |
| Nia Clouden | Out | Knee |
| Katie Lou Samuelson | Out | Personal |
Mercury Leaders
- Griner is the top scorer for the Mercury with 17.9 points per game. She also tacks on 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game to her stats.
- Brianna Turner puts up a stat line of 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 points and 1.4 assists per game for Phoenix to take the top rebound spot on the team. Sug Sutton holds the top spot for assists with 4.4 per game, adding 7.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per outing.
- Diana Taurasi is the most prolific from deep for the Mercury, hitting 2.6 threes per game.
- Phoenix’s leader in steals is Turner with 1.1 per game, and its leader in blocks is Griner with 1.7 per game.
Mercury Injuries
| Name | Game Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Skylar Diggins-Smith | Out | Personal |
All stats in this article refer to the 2023 regular season.
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