Lynx vs Wings Betting Odds: Struggles Mounting for Winless Minnesota

The four-time WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx has fallen on hard times. At 0-4, Minnesota is one of just two remaining winless teams. The Lynx have been outscored by an average of 11.7 points, with hardly any hope for improvement in sight.

On Tuesday (8 p.m., ET), Minnesota will visit the Dallas Wings. Can the Lynx rebound? Or will their struggles continue? Dallas is a 5.5-point favorite, while the projected point total is 168.

For more on that matchup, here is our Lynx vs Wings betting odds preview.

Winless Lynx in WNBA Basement

Forward Napheesa Collier is a legitimate cornerstone player. The two-time All-Star leads the Lynx in scoring (16.5 points per game), steals (1.8), and blocks (1.8). Collier is also second in rebounding (6.8) behind Jessica Shepard. She could use more help, though.

Minnesota’s supporting cast is young and inexperienced. The Lynx have two rookies on their roster, including former Maryland guard Diamond Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft. Averaging 11 points and 1.3 steals, Miller has shown promise despite shooting just 31.6%. Miller, a Second Team All-American in 2022-23, has the second-best odds (+220) for Rookie of the Year behind first-overall pick Aliyah Boston (+150).

At the end of the first round, 12th overall, the Lynx selected 6-foot-5 French forward Maia Hirsch. Still just 19 years old, Hirsch is not expected to play in the WNBA in 2023 and will instead remain overseas. Former UConn forward Dorka Juhasz, drafted 16th overall, has performed adequately (1.3 points, 1.8 rebounds) in limited action off the bench.

Besides Collier and Miller, Tiffany Mitchell and Kayla McBride (out for personal reasons) are the only other players scoring in double figures. The Lynx are averaging a league-low 74.3 points per game. Keep that in mind as you assess the Lynx vs Wings betting odds.

Wings on the Upswing

As goes Arike Ogunbowale, so go the Wings. The two-time All-Star is coming off a 27-point effort in a 94-88 loss to Chicago. Ogunbowale is averaging a WNBA-best 26.7 points on 39.4% shooting. She also leads the league in average minutes (38.0) and 3-pointers per game (3.7).

Satou Sabally, the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, has made major strides this season alongside Ogunbowale. The 6-4 forward is averaging 22.0 points, giving Dallas two top-5 scorers. She also ranks ninth in rebounds with 8.3 per game. Teammate Natasha Howard, meanwhile, is seventh in rebounding (8.7).

Thanks to that trio, Dallas is off to an encouraging 2-1 start. The Wings should continue to climb the WNBA standings if Ogunbowale, Sabally, and Howard can stay healthy and maintain their strong play. As a whole the Wings are averaging 89.3 points, second-most in the WNBA behind undefeated Las Vegas (96.5).

The Wings had three first-round picks in April’s draft: Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist (No. 3), UConn’s Lou Lopez Senechal (No. 5), and Maryland’s Abby Meyer (No. 11). However, Lopez Senechal is recovering from knee surgery and Meyers was waived. Center Teaira McCowan and guard Diamond DeShields are also injured, leaving the Wings with just nine available players, two of them rookies.

Dallas’ 2-0 start was its first since 2007.

Handicapping the Game

Injuries have put a strain on Dallas’ depth. With such a limited rotation, there’s pressure on the 26-year-old Ogunbowale to play significant minutes and produce. That could be an issue down the road for the Wings, especially if DeShields, a former All-Star, remains sidelined. It shouldn’t, however, matter against Minnesota.

The Lynx are in a rebuild. Outside of Collier, they simply don’t have the talent to compete this season. It shows in the standings, as only one other team (0-2 Seattle) remains winless. Minnesota also plays Connecticut and Washington this week, so things may get worse before they get better for this proud franchise.

Based on that, Dallas should be a comfortable home favorite in our Lynx vs Wings betting odds preview.

For WNBA odds, betting news, analysis, and more, visit pointspreads.com

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