The last time these the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky teams met, they split victories in the early part of June, including a thrilling 84-82 Washington Mystics victory in the final seconds. Fast-forward, and the Mystics and Sky are two of the best teams in the WNBA.
Both are trying to gain leverage in seeding at this point in the schedule. This matchup promises to be competitive and a possible look at a potential playoff matchup.
Find out more in our WNBA picks and predictions for Mystics vs. Sky on Friday, August 5.
Mystics vs Sky odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Lines opened Thursday evening, hovering between -5.5 and -6 in favor of the Sky. The Over/Under hasn’t moved much, opening between 159.5 and 160.5 with minimum movement since.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until tip-off and be sure to check out the full WNBA odds before placing your bets.
Mystics vs Sky predictions
- Prediction: Sky -5.5 (-106)
- Prediction: Under 159.5 (-105)
- Best bet: Copper Under 17.5 points (-140)
Predictions made on 8/05/2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Mystics vs Sky info
• Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL
• Date: Friday, August 5, 2022
• Tip-off: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBA TV
Mystics vs Sky betting preview
Key injuries
Mystics: Elena Delle Donne F (Out).
Sky: Li Yueru F (Questionable).
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 5-1 in the Mystics' last six games vs. Eastern Conference opponents. Find more WNBA betting trends for Mystics vs. Sky.
Mystics vs Sky picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
Although Washington got the best of Chicago the last time these two teams sparred, the other two times were a different story. The Sky won both games by a combined 18 points, although Elena Delle Donne wasn't present for one of those games.
Delle Donne's impact on this team since 2017 can't be overlooked, and while she isn't that young 23-year-old who hit the scene in 2013, she remains one of the great impact players in all of the WNBA. For the year, she's averaging 17 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, she won't be present tonight as she has a rest day.
Delle Donne's absence is a critical blow for the Mystics' chances. Still, this game could come down to Washington's league-best defense versus Chicago's elite offense. The Sky typically get to anywhere they want on the court and score easily, currently holding the best team field goal percentage in the league. Washington will look to counter as it has the best defensive field goal percentage, holding teams to 42.5% shooting from the field.
The Sky haven't lost consecutive matches since the season's first two games, and I'm expecting a big bounce back in this one following Tuesday's loss to Dallas. The Mystics have an impressive 20-12 ATS record for the season, but I can't see them covering against this level of competition without Delle Donne.
Prediction: Sky -5.5 (-110 at PointsBet)
Over/Under analysis
For the season, Washington possesses an 11-21 Over/Under, which speaks to their impressive defense. The Mystics hold opponents to a magnificent 75.2 points per game — making every game an excruciating experience for teams to decipher.
Unlike the Sky, who boast a powerful exterior defense, the Mystics are impressive inside and outside. While Chicago is averaged 85 points per game against the Mystics on the year, two of those three meetings saw the Sky score less than their current season average of 85.7 points. Opponents have also only scored 80 plus points against Chicago in three of the last 10 games.
Delle Donne missing this game for Washington severely lowers their ceiling in this one. She averages 17 points per game on 40% shooting from beyond the arc. That kind of production isn't going to be easy to replace, particularly when you're going up against one of the league's better defenses.
For the year, the Mystics have an ATS record of 3-7 when Delle Donne is inactive. When assessing their tough defense and an offense that will be lacking its leader, I'll be taking the Under.
Prediction: Under 159.5 (-105 at FanDuel)
Best bet
Offensively, Kahleah Copper has been a force for the Sky all season, averaging 15.5 points on 47 percent shooting from the field. Maintaining this level of consistency while doing it on the second-best efficiency numbers of her career is impressive.
Copper shoots a very efficient 58% on layups at the basket, but it wouldn't be fair to expect her to meet that output against the best team defense in the WNBA. Although Copper is coming off a strong 19-point performance, it's asking too much of her to score over 17.5 points against this defense.
In the three previous matchups, her high in a single game was 16 points. Washington should slow her down just a tad.
Pick: Copper Under 17.5 points (-140 at bet365)
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