Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx Odds
| Mystics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+8 -110 | 155.5 -114/-110 | +310 |
| Lynx Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-8 -110 | 155.5 -114/-110 | -420 |
The WNBA is back! After a near-month-long break for the Olympics, the W is back with an awesome slate of games starting Thursday. One of those games is the Washington Mystics heading to Minneapolis to take on the Lynx.
The Lynx are favored by 8.5, but there's reason to be intrigued by the underdog in both teams first game back. Let's dig in to why that is.
Washington Mystics: Key Returns Vital for Mystics
Before the 2024 season started, the Mystics were a team I had picked out as a likely plucky long-odds moneyline team that I would be picking my spots to play. Then, less than six minutes into the second game of the season (after a decidedly plucky five-point loss to the Liberty in their opener) Brittney Sykes suffered a foot injury that limited her to just 14 more minutes in the first half of the season (a game they won by 19 over the Dream).
Shakira Austin, the one-woman defensive scheme, has played only six games all season–and only one of those six has been a double-digit loss, a road game in New York without Brittney Sykes.
Karlie Samuelson also injured her non-shooting hand in June, but now all three players are returning, and this is once again a plucky potential moneyline long-shot team — when the shoe fits.
Minnesota Lynx: Will Olympics Play A Role In Lynx's Return?
And Thursday's matchup fits like a glove (apologies for the mixes metaphor). While the Mystics return fresh legs from injury, the Lynx are returning several key legs from the Olympics. Napheesa Collier was an essential cog for a U.S. team that ended up being pushed harder than they have ever been pushed before.
Alanna Smith was also essential to Australia's run, while Bridget Carlton made the trip for Team Canada.
But maybe most notably, head coach Cheryl Reeve was plenty busy balancing minutes on a stacked Team USA roster that–again–was pushed as hard as any and would have faced insane amounts of scrutiny if they had failed to capture the gold. Eric Thibault, on the other hand, has had several weeks to get his ducks in a row to setup Washington for the stretch run, should they want to maintain plucky status, or make a run at that last playoff spot.
Jim Turvey's Mystics vs. Lynx Pick
Mystics vs. Lynx: Target Washington's Spread and ML
Betting Pick & Prediction
Add it all together and I'll be all over Washington. They are among the best teams in the W against the spread this season, and that's with a roster that has been papered together around injuries. Now those players are back, and this Washington team is going to be giving even competing teams a scare.
I like the Washington spread, as well as a sprinkle on the moneyline.
Mystics vs. Lynx Pick: Washington +8.5; Mystics moneyline +350
