This might be one of the few times the Lynx aren’t actually favorites in a game. With Collier sidelined due to an ankle injury, the Lynx face a significant gap in their starting lineup. The team has depth, but we’ll see if it’s enough to challenge the Storm in Seattle. This should be an exciting matchup between some of the league’s top teams!
Napheesa Collier Out
Katie Lou Samuelson Out
After a strong midseason push, the Storm are starting to slow down. They haven’t been able to string together many wins as they’re just trying to stay afloat. It’s been a tough stretch since the all-star break, and everyone is starting to show signs of wear and tear. Skylar Diggins has been the most surprising to decline. Maybe we should have expected this from the 35-year-old, but with her carrying the team early on, her reduced production has left the team a little short-handed on offense. Of course, Ogwumike has picked up some of that slack, but as another veteran on the team, it’s not sustainable to expect that level of production to continue. They need one of these younger players, like Williams or Magbegor, to step up offensively. This team remains solid, with a strong group of defenders and enough size to keep games in check. However, that might not be enough against the Lynx even without Collier.
The Lynx have been the team to beat all year, but despite losing in the finals last year to the Liberty, this core remains championship-worthy. As one of the league’s top two-way teams, it’s tough to find many flaws in this group. However, if any issues are going to surface, it’s against the Storm. The Lynx already lost to them once this season, even with Collier. Now, heading into the Pacific Northwest without their best player, they’ll need to adapt quickly. I still believe they can, though. They have plenty of talent just waiting in the wings while Collier continues to excel. With her out a few games, I expect some of these other players to step up given the chance. Even with the Storm playing at home and boasting a solid defense, I don’t think they’ll be able to stop the Lynx. That’s why I’m betting on the Minnesota moneyline, the over on the 156.5 points total, and the +2 Lynx spread.
Money line: MIN (+105) / SEA (-110)
Total Points: 156.5
Spread: +2 MIN (-110) / -2 SEA (-110)
Ogwumike has been on a hot streak lately. She’s been leading the Storm in scoring nearly every night for the past couple of weeks. However, the Lynx present a different challenge even without Collier. They still possess the size and strength to limit Ogwumike from getting to the rim, where she excels. Especially with some of the other offense drying up for the Storm, I expect the Lynx to flood the paint heavily tonight.
The door is wide open for McBride right now. With Collier out, there are nearly 20 shot attempts up for grabs. If some of those keep falling her way, she should be in a great position to hit the over. Considering she scored 24 points in her last two games, one in just 24 minutes, I think she’ll be invaluable against the Storm tonight.
Shepard is in a similar position as McBride regarding her opportunity, just on the boards. With Collier sidelined, Shepard will have almost free rein on nearly every shot near the hoop. In her first full game without Collier, she grabbed 14 boards in just 27 minutes. Even with the line rising to 9.5, I believe she could easily reach this total by the third quarter. This is probably my favorite line of the entire night.