Welcome back to the WNBA semifinals. Sunday’s Game 1s were surprising, to say the least, as both the No. 1 and 2 seeds opened up their series with losses at home.
The day started with the Las Vegas Aces, the W’s highest scoring team this regular season (90.4 ppg), held to just 73 points in a three-point loss to Seattle. Hours later, the Chicago Sky, the league’s second-highest scoring team (86.3 ppg) put up a grand total of 63 points in a five-point defeat to the Connecticut Sun.
Will Wednesday’s Game 2s be another defensive battle? Or will some of the league’s elite offensive performers turn it up a notch?
We take a look at some of the best player props to bet on ahead of Wednesday’s action.
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook
Sue Bird - Over 7.5 Assists (+108)
If you’re counting on Sue Bird to rack up the points, treat her 18-point performance against the Washington Mystics in Game 2 as an anomaly. She’s a much safer bet to pile on the assists, at this point.
Bird dropped 12 dimes in Game 1 against the Aces and 10 in the previously mentioned Game 2 vs. the Mystics. I would imagine that with Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and Tina Charles, Seattle will figure out a way to score more than its Game 1 total of 76 points this Wednesday against Vegas.
More buckets mean more potential assists for Sue. She should be able to get to eight.
Jewell Loyd - Over 18.5 Points (-114)
The player the Aces probably least want to see at the moment is Jewell Loyd.
Why?
She dropped 38 points on Vegas in the regular-season finale, and then scored 26 in Game 1 at Michelob ULTRA Arena, including some truly back-breaking buckets late in the game to sink A’ja Wilson and the Aces.
We’ll see if Becky Hammon has an adjustment for. how to cover Loyd, but Jewell has it going currently. She’s scored 19 or more points in five of her last six games. Take the over.
Candace Parker - Over 4.5 Assists (-142)
It’s not talked about enough what Candace Parker is currently doing on the basketball court. Look at her four playoff games this year:
8/28 vs. CONN – 19 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 6 blocks
8/23 vs. NY – 14 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks
8/20 vs. NY – 12 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
8/17 vs. NY – 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
My goodness!
I don’t need to say much more other than I’m betting on her to have a big Game 2, which includes tallying more than 4.5 assists.
Alyssa Thomas - Over 7.5 Rebounds (-125)
On Tuesday, Alyssa Thomas just missed out on the WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award. Already one of the game’s hardest-playing players and most fierce competitors, I have very little doubt she won’t use the second-place finish as motivation going forward.
Thomas is a triple-double threat every night. Her 12 points 10 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 1 tell the story.
Eight boards shouldn’t be hard for her to grab on Wednesday; she’s done it seven times over her last 10 games.
