Eric Moody, ESPNJul 5, 2023, 08:00 AM ET
CloseFormer manager at a Fortune 100 financial services company, now living my dream creating fantasy and sports betting content about the NFL, NBA, and WNBA for ESPN.
Each day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the slate, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. Times are ET.
Here’s what to look for in today’s games:
Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty
7 p.m. ET, Barclays Center, Brooklyn
Line: Liberty -15
Money line: Mercury (+1050), Liberty (-2000)
Total: 165 points
BPI prediction:
Liberty: 88% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 13.7 points
Injury report
Mercury: Skylar Diggins-Smith (Out)
Liberty: Han Xu (Out), Stefanie Dolson (Out)
Fantasy streamer: Michaela Onyenwere (rostered in 52.6% of ESPN leagues) has played 29 or more minutes in four of the past five games, scoring 22 or more fantasy points in four of those games. Onyenwere might have an even bigger role, if the Mercury continue to struggle this season. — Eric Moody
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Best bet: Liberty -15. New York quickly bounced back from a disappointing loss to the Las Vegas Aces with a convincing win over the Seattle Storm a few days ago. They face a struggling Mercury team, who rank near the bottom of the league in offensive and defensive rating. The stage is set for the Liberty to continue their momentum as Phoenix holds a 2-8 record against the spread as underdogs. — Moody
Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx
8 p.m. ET, Target Center, Minneapolis
Line: Lynx -1
Money line: Fever (+100), Lynx (-120)
Total: 165 points
BPI prediction:
Lynx: 66.8% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 4.8 points
Injury report
Fever: No injuries reported
Lynx: Jessica Shepard (Out), Natalie Achonwa (Out), Aerial Powers (Out), Tiffany Mitchell (Out)
Fantasy streamer: Dorka Juhasz (rostered in 21.0% of ESPN leagues) remains a good streaming option with Jessica Shepard out. Juhasz has scored at least 18 fantasy points and played at least 26 minutes in four straight games. She remains a player to hold on to until Shepard returns. — Moody
Dallas Wings at Las Vegas Aces
10 p.m. ET, Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
Line: Aces -15
Money line: Wings (+1050), Aces (-2000)
Total: 176 points
BPI prediction:
Aces: 86.3% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 12.7 points
Injury report
Wings: Diamond DeShields (out), Lou Lopez Senechal (out)
Aces: No injuries reported
Best bet: Aces -15.0. This number might be intimidating but let’s not forgot how dominant the Aces have been this season. Las Vegas has a 15-1 record, are 9-0 at home (6-3 ATS) and lead the league in offensive and defensive rating. The Aces are the first team in WNBA history to have four All-Stars in three consecutive seasons (A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray are All-Stars). The Aces are a reliable force, consistently delivering positive results. — Moody
Atlanta Dream at Los Angeles Sparks
10 p.m. ET, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Line: Sparks -1.5
Money line: Dream (+100), Sparks (-120)
Total: 168 points
BPI prediction:
Dream: 54% chance to win.
Projected margin of victory: 1.1 points
Injury report
Dream: Aari McDonald (Out)
Sparks: Lexie Brown (Out), Nia Clouden (Out), Chiney Ogwumike (Out), Layshia Clarendon (Out), Katie Lou Samuelson (Out)
Fantasy streamer: Karlie Samuelson (rostered in 22.9% of ESPN leagues) and Dearica Hamby should see a lot of minutes, with Chiney Ogwumike ruled out for the second consecutive game. Samuelson has scored 19 or more fantasy points in three of the past four games where she played 29 or more minutes. Samuelson should benefit from the Sparks’ thin rotation. — Moody