SEATTLE STORM VS MINNESOTA LYNX EXPERT PICKS – AUGUST 20, 2023

SEATTLE STORM VS. MINNESOTA LYNX EXPERT PICKS – AUGUST 20, 2023 – Happy Sunday basketball enthusiasts. Welcome back to our weekend WNBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. After our looks at the other three games – Wings vs. Mystics, Sun vs. Sky, and Fever vs. Mercury, the last game on Sunday’s slate features the Seattle Storm (9-22) taking on the Minnesota Lynx (15-16).

With the second-worst record in the league, the Storm have little to play for. On the flip side of the narrative, the Lynx are currently tied for the No. 6 spot in the playoff race with the Washington Mystics and both teams are just two games ahead of the eighth-place Los Angeles Sparks.

Now that we have brought you up to speed, let’s see which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

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Tipoff

When: Sunday, August 20, 2023

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

TV: NBA TV, FOX13+, and Prime Video

Odds courtesy of DraftKings.

SEATTLE STORM VS MINNESOTA LYNX — SEASON TRENDS

Storm Hoping To Rain On Minnesota’s Postseason Push

Despite their atrocious 9-22 record, the Storm have posted wins in three of their last five contests. However, in the team’s recent outing, it was defeated 78-70 by none other than the Minnesota Lynx. Sami Whitcomb paced Seattle with 23 points and three assists. Jewell Loyd was limited to 15 points on 5-for-19 shooting from the floor and 1-for-8 from 3-point range.

If you are a Seattle Storm fan, you may want to turn away for a minute. The Storm have the second-worst scoring average in the league at 78.0 points per contest and the worst efficiency rating at 97.8 points per 100 possessions. As the saying goes, there is a silver lining for this squad, and boy does it need one. The Storm are ranked sixth in scoring defense (83.3 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (104.4 points per 100 possessions).

Minnesota Looking To Move Up In The Playoff Race During The Home Stretch

Despite being a sub-.500 ball club, the Lynx are tied for the No. 6 spot. They trail the fifth-place Atlanta Dream by just a half-game. And they are just two games behind the Dallas Wings, who hold the No.4 spot. That said this team has a LOT to play for over the next few weeks.

But while the Storm have won three of their past five games, the Lynx have dropped three of their previous five contests. As I mentioned earlier, these two teams faced off against each other on Friday, and Minnesota prevailed by a 78-70 margin. Napheesa Collier scored a game-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. It is also worth noting that Minnesota limited Seattle to just 36.8 percent shooting from the field and 29.6 percent from deep. If the Lynx can duplicate that effort, they are all but assured of their second win over the Storm in three days.

The Picks

The Spread

Minnesota is a 4.5-point favorite in this contest. Here is a look at why I am ALL in on this spread.

• The Lynx are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win and an SU win.
• Minnesota is 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games in which they played on one day of rest.
• Lastly, the Lynx are 42-17-2 ATS in their last 61 matchups against teams with a losing record. The Storm are 9-22 this season.

Prediction: Minnesota Lynx (-4.5)

Over/Under

The projected O/U total for this contest is 161 points. Here is a look at why you should go with the OVER in this contest.

• These teams have played each other three times and in two of those contests, the scoring total eclipsed the 161-point projected total and by a comfortable margin.
• The OVER is 5-1 for Seattle in the last six times they have played against a team with a losing record. The Lynx are 15-16.
• The OVER is 7-3 for Minnesota in its last 10 games following an ATS win.
• In the last five times these teams played in Minnesota, the OVER total prevailed four times (4-1).
• The OVER holds a 6-1 record in the last seven meetings between these teams.

Prediction: OVER 161 points

Player Prop Bet

My key player to watch in this contest is Seattle guard Jewell Loyd. She currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 22.5 points and -115 odds of scoring less than 22.5 points.

Loyd is currently averaging a career-best 23.8 points per contest and she is averaging 23.3 points per outing in three matchups against the Lynx this season.

Prediction: Jewell Loyd OVER 22.5 points

James’s Picks

• Spread: Minnesota Lynx (-4.5)

• O/U: OVER 161 points

• PPB: Jewell Loyd OVER 22.5