Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics: Picks, Predictions and Odds

The WNBA’s top team, the 12-1 Minnesota Lynx, travel to Washington D.C. to take on the Mystics at 8 pm ET on Tuesday night.

Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier (24.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 spg), the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and MVP runner-up, left early in the third quarter of the Lynx’ 76-62 victory over the Las Vegas Aces last Tuesday with a bad back. She is questionable for tonight’s contest.

In her absence, the Lynx were still able to conclude a 3-0 home stretch with an 82-66 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks Saturday, thanks to a season-high 29 points from Kayla McBride.

McBride (16.1 ppg), who missed the first four games of the season due to personal reasons, is second on the Lynx in scoring to Collier. She shot 69% (9-for-13) from the field, including 71% (5-for-7) from beyond the arc.

Courtney Williams (13.4 ppg, 5.0 apg) added 18 points, six assists and four steals for Minnesota, followed by Maria Kliundikova with 12 points and eight rebounds.  

The Lynx face a Mystics squad that is 6-8 overall and has alternated wins and losses in their last six contests, including a 91-88 overtime triumph over the visiting Dallas Wings Sunday.

Rookie Sonia Citron had a massive game, scoring a career-high 27 points, making the game-winning 3-pointer in overtime, and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Notre Dame standout is averaging 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds as one half of a first-year Mystics duo that has impressed from the start.

That other rookie, Kiki Iriafen (13.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg), was the WNBA’s Rookie of the Month in May. She had 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals against Dallas. Shakira Austin (10.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg) contributed 21 points and seven rebounds in the win, followed by Sug Sutton with 15 points. 

The team’s leading scorer, Brittney Sykes (19.6 ppg, 4.8 apg), was held to eight points after averaging 22.5 in her previous four contests.

This is the first of three games this season between the two teams. Minnesota swept all four matchups last year and has won 6-of-7 against Washington. 

Read below for our experts’ picks and predictions for tonight’s contest.

Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics betting picks and predictions

Minnesota Lynx -9.5 (-115) 

The Lynx were favored by 10 points against the Sparks Saturday, despite Collier’s absence, and covered. The team is 7-5 against the spread this season, including 5-1 ATS in its last six games. 

McBride showed that she is up to the task when it comes to making up for Collier’s absence. If she does play, that is even more of a reason to believe in this spread.

Washington is an exciting young squad with every reason to believe it can make it back to the postseason after missing out last season. The team has shown well, losing by double figures just twice. However, both of those losses, by 22 to the New York Liberty last month, and by 33 to the Atlanta Dream nine days ago, came at home. 

The Mystics are 4-3 at home, but the last three victories came over league cellar dwellers Dallas and the Connecticut Sun, and a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever.

There will be better nights in the future for Washington, but look for the Lynx to cover the 9.5-point spread as favorites.

Under 156.5 total points (-110)

Minnesota has played to the under in five of its last seven games, as the team’s league-leading scoring defense has held opponents to just 72 points in those contests.

Conversely, Washington has played to the over in four of its last six games, averaging 83.2 points overall in those games. But the Mystics only averaged 77.7 points in three losses during that stretch.

The pick here is for Minnesota’s defense to hold Washington in check and keep the game under 157 points. 

Sonia Citron over 12.5 points (-115)

With Collier’s playing status likely not decided until around game time, our expert's pick here is to follow the hot rookie. Citron has tallied more than 12.5 points 10 times already this season, including in each of her last three contests. 

Yes, Sunday night’s 27-point career-high came in overtime against the 3-12 Wings, but Citron has been a steady presence all season for the Mystics. Look for her to continue her solid rookie start by scoring more than 12.5 points again tonight.  

Minnesota Lynx vs. Washington Mystics odds

Minnesota Lynx	-425 ML
Washington Mystics	+325 ML
Spread	MIN Lynx -9.5
Total Points	O/U 156.5

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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.