We have the Valkyries on their way across the country to face the Dream in Atlanta. This should be a fairly even match between two rosters that have been solidifying all season. Even in their first year, the Valkyries are making themselves known, finally cresting back over 500 on the season. We’ll see if the Valkyries can keep the winning up or if the Dream can hold strong at home!
Carla Leite Out
Rhyne Howard Questionable
This will be the first time these teams have ever faced each other. With the Dream finally hosting the Valkyries, it should be interesting to see these teams compete. The Valkyries have been playing well, entering this match with a 9-8 record. That’s not spectacular, but it’s much better than I expected from a first-year team. The Dream are just above the Valkyries at 11-7, with only a two-game lead in the standings. So, expect top performances from both squads.
Expect the Valkyries to remain a diverse team in this game. We’ve seen this team grow together all season. With players each making big improvements, it’s been an exciting season to watch. Janelle Salaun has shown significant development this year. The rookie has become a key part of the offense, shooting from outside and driving to the basket. She’s also been a strong complement to Thornton, who currently leads the team in most stats. What makes the Valkyries tough to beat is their lack of a single star and their depth of excellent role players. Nearly every night, we see someone new step up. Defensively, they’ve been strong, with athletic players across the roster. Overall, they’re one of the most interesting two-way teams in the league. However, taking on Atlanta on the road is never easy.
The Dream is a tough team, with talent throughout the roster. Their biggest concern tonight will be Rhyne Howard's availability, as she continues to recover from injury. According to ESPN, she’s still considered day-to-day, but even if she doesn’t play, her shooting looked affected by her earlier injury. That doesn’t mean the Dream can’t score, though. Allisha Gray has been a relentless force, leading the team with nearly 20 points per game. Combine that with a tough front court featuring Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner running the show, and you can see why this team is so formidable.
Overall, this will be a big challenge for both teams. I think the Valkyries might take this one on the road. They have the front court to at least compete with the Dream, and if the guards can hit their shots, they’ll at least keep things interesting. With solid odds on the moneyline, I have to take the Valkyries’ moneyline, the under on the 158-point total, and the Golden State spread at +7 points.
Money line: GSV (+240) / ATL (-298)
Total Points: 158
Spread: +7 GSV (-108) / -7 ATL (-112)
Howard was on a roll before her injury. She’s still listed as day-to-day right now, but even if she ends up returning, I don’t expect her to thrive. A small dip in performance right before she went out with the injury showed us her scoring could be affected. I’d say assuming she’ll still be a little banged up tonight is reasonable, and that will probably hold her back again.
Jones has been excelling offensively lately. In her last three games, she’s easily surpassed this line. With her presence down low becoming so vital to this offense, I think we’ll see her getting a lot of looks in the post. As long as she can avoid foul trouble and get at least 30 minutes on the court tonight, which she should, this over looks fantastic.
Thornton continues to dominate on the boards this year. She’s been a tab hit or miss on this line over the last five games, but averaging 7 boards a game puts her right in this ballpark every game. With the Howard still having some issues, we may see even more offense drift out of the paint, which should free Thornton for a few more boards. Sticking to the over is looking decent tonight.