Brink’s Injury Changes Equation for Lowly Sparks

Los Angeles Slightly Favored in Mystics vs Sparks Preview

The Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks, two of the WNBA‘s lowliest teams, will meet Tuesday (10 p.m. ET) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite and -125 on the moneyline, with Washington +105 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 163.5.

What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both teams and assess the odds in our Mystics vs Sparks preview.

Washington Mystics vs Los Angeles Sparks

Day/Time:
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Streaming: MNMT & ESPN3

Mystics vs Sparks Betting Trends

The Washington Mystics are 12-6-1 against the spread, including 5-3-1 away from home. The Mystics have also been profitable for Over/Under bettors, going 11-8.

The Los Angeles Sparks, meanwhile, are just 8-9-1 ATS. That includes 2-4-1 at home. As for the Over/Under, Los Angeles is 9-9.

Be sure to keep that in mind when analyzing the odds in our Mystics vs Sparks preview.

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Mystics’ Losses Keep Piling Up

The Mystics keep losing, and there’s realistically no end in sight to their struggles. At 4-15, they are tied with Los Angeles and Dallas for the fewest wins in the WNBA.

Two of those victories came over the Wings on Washington’s recent homestand. They followed that with losses to Connecticut and Las Vegas. The Mystics have had far more difficulty on the road, where they are just 1-8. Their only win came June 11 at Atlanta, 87-68.

Lately, injuries have been the biggest source of their problems. Guards Brittney Sykes (foot) and Karlie Samuelson (hand) and center Shakira Austin (hip) all remain out, crippling a roster that was already shorthanded because of Elena Delle Donne’s absence. The two-time MVP on an indefinite leave from basketball after playing 23 games (16.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG) in 2023.

Veteran center Stefanie Dolson has been one of the few bright spots. She’s coming off a season-high 23-point effort in Saturday’s 88-77 loss to the Aces, her fifth straight game scoring in double figures.

The Mystics tied a franchise record with 12 consecutive losses to open the season. They’ve been more competitive in recent weeks, with three of their last five losses coming by five points or fewer. They have covered the spread in eight of their last nine games and are among the most profitable teams for bettors at 12-6-1.

Despite that, they still own the league’s lowest winning percentage (.211).

Los Angeles Hoping for Spark Without Brink

The Sparks must find a way to navigate the rest of the season without their most promising player. Cameron Brink’s stats — 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks — are impressive, but the No. 2 overall pick is done for the year after tearing her left ACL June 18 against Connecticut. Brink, who was also set to represent the U.S. in 3×3 basketball for the Paris Olympics — underwent surgery later that month.

At 4-14, there’s not much else for the Sparks and their fans to hold onto. They’ve been outscored by an average of 7.5 points — second-most in the WNBA besides Dallas, 8.3 — and are just 1-10 on the road. Their only win away from home came May 28 against Indiana, 88-82.

Not to go unnoticed in their struggles is the play of Dearica Hamby. Hamby has been one of the league’s most productive players, averaging 18.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals. She matched her season-high with 29 points in Friday’s 92-78 loss to Phoenix.

Like Washington, Los Angeles has been profitable for bettors of late. The Sparks have covered in four of their last six games and are 6-1 ATS as a double-digit underdog. They’ve been favored only twice this season, including a 70-68 win over Washington on May 21 in which they settled for a push at -2. That’s important to remember when assessing the odds in our Mystics vs Sparks preview.

Handicapping the Game

The standings don’t lie. Washington and Los Angeles have been two of the WNBA’s worst teams. At +50000, they share the longest WNBA Finals odds.

Sparks guard Lexie Brown, who scored a game-high 20 points in the teams’ first meeting this season, is sidelined indefinitely because of Crohn’s Disease. The Sparks will also be without Layshia Clarendon (illness) and Azura Stevens (arm) in addition to Brink.

Washington, as aforementioned, is dealing with injury issues of its own.

While both teams are shorthanded, the Sparks get the slight edge being at home.

For WNBA scores today, betting odds and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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