WNBA Betting Preview: Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky

In the lone game of the day, the Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky meets for the second time this season. As two of the hottest teams in the league right now. Both sides enter the contest on a four-game win streak, which is tied for the league’s longest active win streak. With that streak coming to a close for one team, this game undoubtedly has the making of a playoff-type atmosphere.

Game Information

• Matchup: Seattle Storm (17-8) at Chicago Sky (16-9)
• Location: Wintrust Arena
• Day/Time: Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. ET

The first meeting between the Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky took place in mid-May with the Storm winning 74-71 and covering as one-point favorites. Seattle was up by as much as 15 points before Chicago came back in the final few minutes of play. Statistically, that game was as evenly matched as they get, and with this line set at Chicago -3, we expect a similar story.

Between Chicago’s three All-Stars Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, and Kahleah Copper, and Seattle’s Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, there will be no shortage of star power on the floor. Vandersloot missed Chicago’s previous game against the Wings while in concussion protocol but she is likely to be back in the lineup on Wednesday, pending test results. If Vandersloot isn’t able to play, the Storm will look to take advantage by putting pressure on her backup Julie Allemand. Allemand played fine in her start against Dallas, but the Storm is a much stronger team, especially on the defensive end.

The Storm has owned the top defensive rating for much of the season. Over their last seven games, they’ve gone from allowing opponents an average of just under 77 points per game to just over 72. They also excelled in limiting the opponent’s points in transition, something the Sky is rather good at. Chicago leads the league in fast break points over their last five games but could have a difficult time pushing the pace against a Storm defense that ranks second in that same category.

While the Storm’s defense is a major reason for their early season wins, their offense is what’s led them to a 6-1 record over their last seven games. They own the best net rating over that span and rank third in effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. Seattle has also done a better job getting to the free throw line lately and not settling for poor outside shots.

The Storm will need to continue to be aggressive if they’re going to beat the defending WNBA champions. Similar to Seattle, Chicago is playing some of its best basketball right now and has lost just two home games all season. What makes the Sky so difficult is their depth and balanced scoring. Copper leads the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game, but Chicago also has five other players averaging double-digit scoring. Seattle will need to work to keep Chicago out of the paint where they rank first in points.

The WNBA betting odds have this game priced at Chicago -3; however, we expect the Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky game to be a close one, in which case there is value in taking the points with the underdog. If Seattle can continue their strong offensive performance while containing Chicago’s offense, we like them to cover these WNBA betting lines.

Looking ahead, the Sky host Dallas on Friday before flying to New York for a back-to-back against the Liberty. The Storm heads to Phoenix to take on Mercury on Friday. Unless these two teams meet again in the playoffs, this could be the last time we see Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on the floor together.