Mercury vs Fever Game Prediction, Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Improving Indiana Goes after First Homecourt Win
Phoenix Looking dor Answers
The Indiana Fever are the favorite in the WNBA odds to follow a big win on the road with another triumph when they play host to the scuffling Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.
The Fever earned their second victory away from home Friday when they held Minnesota to 14 points in the fourth quarter for a 71-69 win. Indiana, which finished last season with 18 straight defeats, has lost its first two games at home this season and 10 in a row since June 19, 2022.
Despite having two of the top players in the league in Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, Phoenix has lost five of six to start the campaign and all three on the road after falling 90-77 at Dallas on Friday.
The Mercury is currently +4000 to win the championship in WNBA live betting while Indiana is +10000.
Mercury Need Better Defense
Phoenix is actually second in the league in field-goal percentage shooting (45.3), but the Mercury are having issues in most other categories.
Griner leads the way with 21.7 points per game (fifth in the WNBA) and leads the league in blocks per game (2.8), but Phoenix is last in the league in rebounds and rebounding margin.
Taurasi averages 17.3 points and 6.3 assists (fourth in the WNBA), though the Mercury commits the most turnovers in the league (17.7), forces the third least (12.0) and is last in points against (87.2). All-Star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith – the team’s leading scorer in 2022 – being out on maternity leave has certainly not helped Phoenix.
The under is 2-0 in the sportsbook the last two Mercury games after going 1-3 in the first four.
Mitchell Leads Fever
Ohio State product Kelsey Mitchell has recorded 22 points in two of her last three games, including Friday when she made 9-of-16 from the field.
Mitchell leads the team at 17.4 points per contest and she’s had help from 2023 first-overall draft pick Aliyah Boston (15 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks), who notched her first two career double-doubles in the last two games.
“For us, it’s just been about constantly the brick-by-brick of the work.”
Kelsey Mitchell talks about the foundation the team has been continuing to build. 🧱 pic.twitter.com/Hi2VmtUFsA
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 10, 2023
NaLyssa Smith also averages 13 points and is fourth in the league in rebounding (10.6) for Indiana, which is last in the league in free-throw percentage (74.3), turnovers forced (11.0) and eighth out of 12 in points-against per contest (84.1).
The Fever has not been a bad bet this season, going 4-2-1 ATS in WNBA lines.
Mercury vs Fever Head-to-Head
Phoenix has won seven straight meetings, including all three last season by an average of 15.3 points.
Taurasi averaged 18.3 points in the three victories over Indiana last season and Mitchell scored 23 per contest versus the Mercury in 2022.
Indiana is second in the league in rebounds per game while Phoenix is last and the Fever is eighth in the WNBA in scoring (79.4), just behind the Mercury (79.8). Expect some foul shooting in this one as the teams are first and second in the league in most fouls per game.
The over is 6-2 in the matchup since the start of 2020 if you were betting online.
Mercury vs Fever Game Information
- Game: Mercury (1-5) vs Fever (2-5)
- Day/Time: Monday, June 12, 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Mercury vs Fever Live Stream: WNBA.com
Mercury vs Fever Betting Lines
Mercury vs Fever Picks & Prediction
The Fever have not made the playoffs since 2016, when they lost to Phoenix in the first round, but they seem to make progress. Indiana lost in overtime at Chicago on Tuesday or it could have been a 2-0 trip..
So there are two ways you can look at this if you are online gambling. The Mercury’s two stars can shine and get them going or the improvement of the Fever can continue with Mitchell and Boston leading the way in front of the home fans.
The pick here is with the Fever, who lost by only four to the Las Vegas Aces (7-1) at home on June 4.
The Mercury are listed at +110 in our Las Vegas wnba odds. This means that if you wager $100 on Phoenix, you have a chance to win $110. The Fever are -130, offering a chance to win $77 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Mercury a 47.62% chance to win, with Indiana at 56.52%.