WNBA Playoffs Tuesday: O'Sullivan picks Sky at Sun, Mercury at Aces, sees rested teams ready for semifinals
Here’s all I will say: Minnesota Lynx players Napheesa Collier and Sylvia Fowles made this year’s gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team. Aerial Powers did not. So to watch Powers have more, or should I say, jack up more shots (21) than Collier and Fowles combined (20), when you’ve picked the Lynx was, shall we say, aggravating.
Also, two words, Lynx players and coach Cheryl Reeve: transition defense. My Lord.
Seattle O’Sullivan so far: 138-106-1
Moneyline parlay: Connecticut (-340)/Las Vegas (-250) - True price: -123
Parlay: Connecticut -7.5 (-110)/Las Vegas -5.5 (-110) – True price: +264
Chicago Sky at Connecticut Sun, 8 pm Eastern
The Pick: Connecticut -340, Connecticut -7.5 (-110)
Today’s picks are based on two things: better teams with more rest. Connecticut hasn’t lost since before the Olympic break, July 9, 14 games in a row. They’re the best team in the WNBA right now and it’s not close. They’ve been resting since Sept. 19, nine days. The worry may be that they’re rusty, but I don’t think so. Coach of the Year and frenetic sidelines pacer Curt Miller may be, uh, aggravating to watch on the sidelines, but one thing he’s not is lackadaisical. The Sun will be ready. Who knows, perhaps nine days off will be enough time for Miller to realize something no other coach in the WNBA seems to grasp - someone needs to guard Allie Quigley and not let her get open shots. My Lord. Chicago, on the other hand, is playing well (they made my Minnesota picks look foolish on Sunday, for sure) but is bound to suffer a bit of a letdown after surviving two elimination games in a row. They stop to breathe a bit tonight, and the Sun take advantage.
Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces, 10 pm Eastern
The Pick: Las Vegas -250, Las Vegas -5.5 (-110)
Same concept here. Las Vegas is the better, more balanced team and has been resting for nine days. Sun coach Miller walks more during one quarter than Aces coach Bill Laimbeer paces in, I’m guessing, three seasons, but the ex-Piston isn’t lackadaisical either. I think he’ll have the Aces ready. Center Liz Cambage is back to provide an, uh, aggravating, frontcourt presence, and Las Vegas’ guards are underrated; they should give Mercury guard Skyler Diggins-Smith trouble. Phoenix will not be afraid of Las Vegas (they’ve beaten the Aces once this season), but they played a close elimination game on Thursday, and an overtime elimination game on Sunday. I think they should’ve lost both, frankly. Mercury center Brittney Griner is the best player on the floor, but there will be some letdown after the dramatic weekend, and while she’ll outplay Cambage tonight, it won’t be by enough. Las Vegas takes Game 1.