Sky vs Mercury Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Fifth Place Teams Matchup
Neither the Chicago Sky or Phoenix Mercury have the best WNBA lines to make the playoffs. They are in fifth place in their respective conferences. It will take a solid second half of the season from the Sky, 3.5 games back from a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, to make it in. However, the Mercury are a little closer, only two games away from fourth in the West. It will be the first game back from the break for the Sky, facing the Mercury in Phoenix on Thursday.
Sky Lack Consistency
This season has been far from ideal for the Sky. There has been little to no consistency. The season started well, going 4-4 through the first eight games before losing the next six. Three straight wins followed that, but then head coach and General Manager James Wade left the organization during the stretch, headlining WNBA news. Chicago went into the break with interim head coach Emre Vatansever leading the team, losing three straight.
All that, plus some offseason moves, are reasons why the last season’s top seed in the East is now in fifth, not favored in WNBA odds to make the playoffs. In the second half of the season, the Sky will need consistency, which they might be able to do behind Kahleah Copper and a solid defense.
Copper was the only player from the Sky that made the All-Star game, averaging 17.3 points per game. Defensively, Chicago has been pretty solid, ranked fifth in points allowed per game. If the Sky want to turn around their season, they must rely on the defense and hope others can help Copper on offense.
Mercury Open Second Half With Win
Like the Sky, Mercury has not had the ideal first half of the season. While having Brittney Griner back on the court is a much-needed sight, not much else has gone right. A six-game losing streak played a big part in head coach Vanessa Nygaard being fired only 12 games into the season, being replaced by Nikki Blue. On top of that, Phoenix has the worst net rating in the league, -10.7.
Despite that, the Mercury won their first game after the All-Star break, beating the Connecticut Sun, the team on top of the East, 72-66. It was the first win for Phoenix against a team with a winning record. While this might not change much for our WNBA picks, it is a first step in the right direction.
Sophie was lighting it up from beyond the arc 🎯@sophaller was draining in the triples in @PhoenixMercury‘s victory over the Sun, finishing with 17 PTS, 5-9 from the 3-PT line, along with 6 REB, and 2 STLs #MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/BwiPd0FKAB
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 19, 2023
Sophie Cunningham led the way in the win, scoring 17 points and hitting five three-pointers. But Cunningham was also hardly the only standout, with Diana Taurasi scoring 15 points, while Griner made an impact with 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Sky vs Mercury Game Information
- Game: Sky (8-12) vs Mercury (5-15)
- Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
- Day/Time: Thursday, July 20, 10:00 p.m. ET
- Sky vs Mercury Live stream: WNBA.com
Sky vs Mercury Betting Lines
Sky vs Mercury Picks and Prediction
Both teams are near the bottom of the WNBA, but the Mercury have separated themselves in recent games. The coaching change seems to have sparked something in the team, going 3-5 under Blue and winning two of the last three games. On the other hand, the issues with the Sky have become more prominent with Wade leaving. That should lead to the Mercury winning this game, being helped out by home-court advantage.
