MINNESOTA LYNX VS. WASHINGTON MYSTICS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — August 15, 2024

MINNESOTA LYNX VS. WASHINGTON MYSTICS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — August 15, 2024 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our WNBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from Thursday’s slate features the Minnesota Lynx (18-8 SU, 15-11 ATS) hosting the Washington Mystics (6-19 SU, 16-8-1 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Thursday, August 15, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis,  MN

TV: ESPN3, BSNX, and MNMT

Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics – In-Season Stats & Betting Trends

The Lynx kicked off their season with 13 wins in their first 16 contests. However, they have cooled off a bit since that hot start. Although they are 4-5 over their last nine outings, the Lynx did go into the break with an 86-79 win over the Atlanta Dream. In that contest, Kayla McBride scored a game-high 30 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Natisha Hiedeman added 18 points off the bench, including 16 in the fourth quarter. Despite having one of the worst records in the league, Atlanta led by a four-point margin heading into the final frame. However, the Lynx outscored the Dream 30-19 in the game’s final 10 minutes to come away with a seven-point victory.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Mystics have had a rough season, to put it nicely. They kicked off their 2024 campaign with 12 consecutive losses. While they have been 6-7 over their last 13 outings, they enter this matchup having dropped four of their last five, including back-to-back losses to the Las Vegas Aces (89-77) and the Phoenix Mercury (96-87).

In the nine-point loss to the Mercury, Myisha Hines-Allen put together a solid performance, finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. Julie Vanloo added 17 points and five assists while knocking down five of her 12 attempts from 3-point range. Despite trailing by double digits in the final frame, Washington trimmed a 12-point deficit down to four points (87-83) with 2:43 left to play. But the Mercury responded with a 7-2 run, giving them a 94-85 lead they would never relinquish.

Now that we have set the stage for this matchup let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

The Spread

The Lynx opened as a 10.5-point favorite, but the line has dipped to 8.5 points at the time of this writing (per OddShark.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Lynx are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games.
• In its last five home games, Minnesota is 1-4 against the spread.
• Meanwhile, the Mystics are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 outings.
• Washington is 5-2 ATS in its last seven road contests.
• In their last seven matchups against Minnesota, the Mystics are 5-2 against the spread.

Prediction: Washington Mystics (+8.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 155.5 points (per Bet365.com). Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone UNDER seven times in the Lynx’s last eight games overall.
• The UNDER total is 5-1 in Minnesota’s last six games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The total has gone UNDER seven times in the Mystics’ last eight matchups against Minnesota.
• The UNDER total has cashed in four times in Washington’s last six road games against the Lynx.

Prediction: UNDER 155.5 points

Player Prop Bet

Including her 30-point outburst against the Dream, Kayla McBride has scored at least 17 points four times in her past seven games. With that in mind, she is the key player to watch for the home team. She currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 15.5 points and -105 odds of finishing with less than 15.5 points (via Bet365.com).

Here is a look at how her numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• On the season, McBride is putting up 16.4 points per contest.
• In the previous matchup against Washington this season, McBride finished with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from distance.
• McBride has played against Eastern Conference teams 10 times this season, averaging 17.0 points per outing in those contests.
• In 14 home games, the Minnesota Lynx guard is averaging 15.8 points per game.
• Over her last five outings, McBride has averaged 19.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup twice during that stretch.

Prediction: Kayla McBride OVER 15.5 points