After opening a season-long six-game homestand with a win over Los Angeles, the Phoenix Mercury look to stay in the win column against the expansion Portland Fire at 7pm ET on Sunday night.
The Fire are in ninth place in the WNBA, 5.5 games behind Dallas for the final playoff spot. Portland has won three of four and opened a three-game road trip with an 84-82 triumph over the Seattle Storm on Friday.
Seldom-used rookie Holly Winterburn, who came into the game with 49 total points this season, scored a career-high 20 on 8-for-14 shooting and added seven rebounds and five assists off the bench. Bridget Carleton had 14 points and nine rebounds, Megan DiLeo contributed 14 points and six assists, and Emily Engstler chipped in with nine points and five rebounds.
Phoenix has dropped four of six overall, but has won three of its last four at home, including Tuesday’s meeting with the Sparks. Another under-the-radar rookie, Noemie Brochant, had a career-high 24 points, while Alyssa Thomas added 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and DeWanna Bonner had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Kahleah Copper had 18 points, but she also turned the ball over eight times.
This is the second of three meetings between the teams this season. Phoenix won as a 4.5-point underdog at Portland in June, 78-72. Bonner led all scorers with 19 points for the Mercury, while Sarah Ashlee Barker led the Fire with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Will Phoenix clinch the season series, or will the Fire win for the fourth time in five games?
Portland Fire vs. Phoenix Mercury betting picks and predictions
Phoenix Mercury -5.5 (-105)
The Mercury are established as 5.5-point favorites at home this evening. This is even though Kelsey Plum, who’s averaging 17.3 points since she came over in a trade with Los Angeles, is out for the second straight game with calf soreness.
Phoenix sits at -210 on the moneyline, while Portland is currently listed at +175. The Fire are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games, and 3-1 ATS in their last four on the road.
The Mercury are 3-0 against the spread in their last three home contests. Plum averaged 21 points in her first three games with Phoenix before leaving a 95-75 loss to Washington early a week ago.
The Mercury won without her on Tuesday, and they will have Copper and Thomas this time around after both missed the teams’ first meeting in June. Copper leads Phoenix in scoring at 20.6 points per game, although she hasn’t topped 18 in her last four.
Thomas is her usual triple-threat self, averaging 14.8 points and a team-high 8.2 assists and 7.4 rebounds.
The Fire do not have Barker, who is out the rest of the season with a torn ACL. They do have three steady performers in Leite (15.5 ppg), Carleton (14.6 ppg) and DiLeo (12.9 ppg). All three have been scoring above their season average over the past 10 games.
Leite missed the previous game against Minnesota after spraining her left knee in a 100-93 win against the Storm. With her back in the fold, Portland has as full a lineup as possible right now.
Look for Phoenix to cover the 5.5-point spread as the home favorite.
Under 176.5 points (-110)
These teams finished well under the 159.5-point total in June. Portland has played to the Over in six of ten, but to the Under in three of its last four.
Although Phoenix has played to the Over in its last two games, this matchup suggests a low-to-mid 80s score, falling short of the total again.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the WNBA on site.
Portland Fire vs. Phoenix Mercury odds
Portland Fire | +175 |
Phoenix Mercury | -210 |
Spread | PHO Mercury -5.5 |
Total Points | O/U 176.5 |
Portland Fire vs. Phoenix Mercury player props
Player points
Bridget Carleton (POR Fire) | O/U 16.5 |
Carla Leite (POR Fire) | O/U 16.5 |
Megan DiLeo (POR Fire) | O/U 13.5 |
Kahleah Copper (PHO Mercury) | O/U 21.5 |
Alyssa Thomas (PHO Mercury) | O/U 16.5 |
DeWanna Bonner (PHO Mercury) | O/U 11.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
