Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

Reigning Western Conference champion Minnesota Lynx go up against Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings in one of the big games on the opening night of the 2025 WNBA season on Friday.

Minnesota came incredibly close to a fifth WNBA title last fall but fell in overtime of the decisive finals game against the New York Liberty.

Bueckers, meanwhile, is making her professional debut after being selected No. 1 overall in last month’s draft.

With tipoff set for 7:30 pm ET on ION Television, it’s time to break down the matchup and discuss the best bets to make. 

Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings betting picks and predictions 

Minnesota Lynx -7.5 (-105) 

Bueckers should have Dallas pointing in the right direction sooner rather than later, but for now this looks like a matchup between one of the best teams in the WNBA and one of the worst.

The Lynx are a historic franchise – with four titles and eight finals appearances dating back to 2011 – and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

Minnesota compiled a 30-10 regular-season record in 2024 before sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in round one and scraping past the Connecticut Sun in the semis.

The WNBA Finals against New York was a series to remember, with the bookend games both decided in overtime and two other contests with margins of three points or fewer.

Dallas will have designs of being on that stage in future years now that Bueckers is on the roster, but the current task at hand is simply to make baby steps.

The Wings went 9-31 last year, so merely getting close to .500 and perhaps contending for a playoff spot would be a significant step forward in 2025.

Bueckers will have to make an instant impact, because Dallas’ second, third and fourth-leading scorers from 2024 have all departed.

Satou Sabally (17.9 ppg), Natasha Howard (17.6 ppg) and Odyssey Sims (17.2) now play for Phoenix, Indiana and Los Angeles, respectively.

The bottom line is that Dallas comes in with a new-look roster and may take some time to gel.

Minnesota, on the other hand, is not messing with success and understandably running it back. All five of the Lynx’s leading scorers from 2024 are back, including Napheesa Collier (20.4 ppg).

As such, let’s back the visitors to win and cover on Friday night.

Over 164.5 (-110)

Dallas was the worst defensive team in the entire WNBA last season, allowing a ridiculous 92.1 points per game.

That does not figure to improve much in 2025, but at least the Wings should be able to score some points.

In addition to new arrivals in Bueckers and DiJonai Carrington (12.7 ppg for Connecticut in 2024), returning star Arike Ogunbowale averaged 22.2 ppg last year.

Minnesota’s firepower is well documented, led by Collier and Kayla McBride (15.4 ppg).

The Lynx faced the Wings four times during the 2024 regular-season and torched them for at least 87 points on three occasions.

Count on the visitors doing most of the heavy lifting in what will likely be an entertaining shootout on Friday. 

Paige Bueckers Over 14.5 points (-115)

Nobody wants to rain on Bueckers’ parade and back the under for her professional debut. But Over 14.5 points could be the best market points option.

To say that Bueckers is prepared for this moment would be a gross understatement. She is already 23 years old and played four seasons of college basketball (also missed the entire 2022-23 campaign due to injury).

There should not be many – if any – growing pains in her transition from college to the pros.

This play also correlates nicely with both Minnesota -7.5 and Over 164.5. If the contest turns into a relative blowout, little defense could be played down the stretch.

It is already a matchup in which defense is expected to be mostly optional, so Bueckers should have plenty of scoring opportunities early in the game, in the middle of the game and especially at the end of the game.  

Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings odds

MIN Lynx	-320 ML
DAL Wings	+260 ML
Spread	Lynx -7.5
Total Points	O/U 164.5

Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings player props

Player Points

Napheesa Collier (MIN)	O/U 21.5
Kayla McBride (MIN)	O/U 14.5
Courtney Williams (MIN)	O/U 10.5
Arike Ogunbowale (DAL)	O/U 21.5
Paige Bueckers (DAL)	O/U 14.5
DiJonai Carrington (DAL)	O/U 12.5

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.