WNBA Player Props & Best Bets Today for May 19: Williams, Diggins Raise Level in Second Game

The Seattle Storm scored only 59 points in their season-opening loss to the Mercury. Storm point guard Skyler Diggins took the blame for Saturday’s road loss. She told reporters after the game that she failed to get her teammates involved on the offensive end of the floor. 
 
She scored 21 points, but the former Notre Dame product is supposed to be Seattle’s primary facilitator. Her four dimes led the Storm, but I expect more from Diggins tonight. In her defense, Seattle shot a dismal 33% from the field and 18% from beyond the arc. Those below-average shooting numbers should spike because the Dallas Wings possess the worst shooting defense. 

Dallas allowed Minnesota to shoot 53% from the field and 35% from downtown. Seattle isn’t Minnesota, but I like their chances for improved shooting and am firing on the plus-money Diggins assist prop. 

Diggins and Seattle are in a pace-up game against a shaky Wings defense. Seattle is a veteran team coming off an embarrassing shooting night, and I expect the Storm to shoot much better and for Diggins to clear 7+ assists tonight.  

Williams shot 1-for-9 from the floor for a measly four points. The Storm defensive stopper only got to the charity stripe twice, and those numbers betray the offensive impact Williams should make nightly.

The Storm forward is a career 42% shooter coming off her best scoring season in the W. She’s a solid scorer in transition, makes solid cuts to the cup with a good midrange game, and — on her night — can clean either end of the glass with the best of them.

Williams should improve upon Saturday’s 1-9 stinker against a Dallas defense that doesn’t defend shooters well from anywhere. The Wings are mediocre rebounders and allowed 16 second-chance points to Minnesota. 

She's a highly efficient shooter and an effective offensive rebounder, facing the league's worst defense. Diggins stated she needs to get her star forward more involved in the offense. Williams scored at least a dozen points in six of 11 games last season, and I expect a bounce-back scoring performance tonight.

The Wings have an abundance of talented scorers, but Caesars is offering a solid price on a Maddy Siegrist scoring market we’re going to attack.

Entering her third WNBA season, the Villanova product has become a dependable scorer for the Wings. Siegrist makes her living by rebounding, scoring in the paint, and hitting mid-range jumpers. The third-year WNBA veteran is becoming a more effective 3-point threat, and her size enables her to post up smaller defenders in the paint. 

Seattle allowed 42 points in the paint to Phoenix. That’s encouraging because Siegrist knows how to cut to and score in the colored area, and that should pave the way for another double-digit scoring night. Dallas boasts willing playmakers out of the double-team, and Siegrist’s cutting ability and accurate shooting from inside the arc should play well tonight. 

Her defense keeps her on the floor, and 30+ minutes of Siegrist cutting to the paint and highly accurate shooting, not to mention a Storm defense placing its attention elsewhere, should allow Siegrist to reach double digits.