8:05 pm
October 10

Sun @ Mystics

Who will WIN this matchup?

Connecticut Sun

@ Washington Mystics

 

Current odds:

Connecticut Sun: (+240)

Washington Mystics: (-300)

 

• The line for this game is Washington by 6.5 points.

• For Miller’s Sun, Tuesday almost became a nightmare. Connecticut jumped out to a 32-17 lead after one quarter and led by 16 points at the half. But Washington turned things around with a 28-12 third quarter and led in the fourth quarter, before failing to score over the final two minutes.

• The team that has led after one quarter has won all four games. Sun guard Courtney Williams said both teams will be aware of that on Thursday and she expects things to quickly get physical.

• The Sun have been fueled in the playoffs by what they consider the disrespect of being called “role players”. Connecticut had five players score at least 15 points on Tuesday. That is typical of the Sun’s balanced approach that had fans wearing T-shirts which read “Role Players Did That,” a reference to a national TV analysis, which the Sun took as a sign of disrespect.

• Washington does have a superstar, but has relied on other players in the Finals, because Elena Delle Donne has been playing with a herniated disk in her back. The 6-foot-5 forward, who averaged 21.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in the Mystics’ first five playoff games, left her team’s Game 2 loss early in the first quarter without scoring a point. She put up 13 points in a Game 3 win and 11 in Tuesday’s loss, sacrificing her post-up game staying mostly on the perimeter to space out the Sun defense.

• Washington is playing in its second consecutive Finals after being swept by Seattle a year ago. Connecticut hasn’t been to the championship series since going back-to-back Finals in 2004 and 2005 under Mike Thibault, who is now the Mystics coach. The league’s all-time wins leader has downplayed the significance of facing his former team as most of the people who were there during his tenure in Connecticut are long gone.

• The teams have each won a game on the other’s court during this series. It will be the third time a Finals has gone to a fifth game since the league switched formats in 2016 to seed the teams 1-8 without regard to conference.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Washington Mystics
Previous Pick
Next Pick