The WNBA regular season is winding down, and Friday\u2019s slate brings three games with plenty of betting angles to attack.<\/p>\n
Indiana travels to Toronto with playoff seeding still very much in play, while Minnesota hosts New York in a matchup between two of the league\u2019s most talented rosters. The late game sends Portland to Golden State on the second night of a back-to-back.<\/p>\n
The biggest storyline is Toronto trying to replace Marina Mabrey. She was the Tempo\u2019s leading scorer and primary perimeter creator, and her absence puts even more pressure on an offense that now has to keep pace with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and one of the league\u2019s highest-scoring teams. That makes Indiana\u2019s spread and Clark\u2019s player-prop market particularly interesting.<\/p>\n
New York-Minnesota should be much more competitive. The Lynx have been one of the WNBA\u2019s most complete teams on both ends and get the Liberty at Target Center, where Minnesota has been difficult to beat. New York still has enough offensive talent with Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones to make laying points uncomfortable, but Minnesota has held the statistical edge defensively.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll also look at Portland\u2019s team total against Golden State. The Valkyries have been one of the league\u2019s strongest defensive teams, and the Fire will be playing their second game in as many nights. Here are my WNBA best bets, predictions, and player props for Friday, Sept. 18.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Plus, new users can\u00a0bet $5 on the WNBA and get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly<\/a>\u00a0at DraftKings Sportsbook.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Everything to know about moneyline betting<\/a><\/p>\n Indiana Fever at Toronto Tempo odds<\/p>\n All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. If you’re a\u00a0new user for DraftKings<\/a>, be sure to take advantage of their new user welcome bonus.<\/p>\n Team<\/p>\n Spread<\/p>\n Total<\/p>\n Moneyline<\/p>\n Indiana Fever<\/p>\n -12.5 (-110)<\/p>\n Over 189.5 (-110)<\/p>\n -650<\/p>\n Toronto Tempo<\/p>\n +12.5 (-110)<\/p>\n Under 189.5 (-110)<\/p>\n +470<\/p>\n \u00a0MORE:\u00a0Full guide to betting with DraftKings<\/a><\/p>\n Fever vs. Tempo prediction<\/p>\n The deeper I get into this matchup, the more I like Indiana. The Fever own the WNBA\u2019s No. 1 offense at 97.0 points per game and a 117.9 offensive rating. Toronto sits on the opposite end defensively, allowing a league-worst 93.8 points per game with a 117.7 defensive rating, also last in the WNBA. That is a rough combination against Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston.<\/p>\n The positional matchup might be even more concerning for Toronto. The Tempo ranks 14th against guards and 13th against forwards in points allowed. Only one team has been more generous to opposing guards. That gives Indiana multiple ways to attack, whether Clark is creating out of pick-and-roll, Mitchell is scoring on the perimeter, or Boston is getting touches around the rim.<\/p>\n Toronto is also badly depleted. Marina Mabrey is out, while Brittney Sykes and Aneesah Morrow are done for the season. Those absences remove significant shot creation and scoring from a team that was already averaging only 86.2 points per game.<\/p>\n Indiana has already beaten Toronto twice this season, 113-91 and 101-95. The first game was a 22-point blowout, while the second saw Toronto get 10.5 points and still lose outright. Both meetings also went over the total.<\/p>\n The one concern with laying double digits is Indiana\u2019s defense. The Fever rank only 12th in defensive rating, so Toronto is capable of scoring enough to hang around for stretches. But Indiana\u2019s offensive advantage is so large that I\u2019m willing to live with that.<\/p>\n Prediction: Fever 101, Tempo 86<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Beginner’s guide to futures betting<\/a><\/p>\n Fever vs Tempo best bet<\/p>\n The biggest reason I\u2019m willing to lay this many points is Mabrey\u2019s absence. She wasn\u2019t just Toronto\u2019s leading scorer. Mabrey averaged 20.8 points per game, shot 38.5% from 3, and was the Tempo\u2019s primary perimeter creator. She even tied the WNBA single-game scoring record with 53 points earlier this season. Now she\u2019s done for the year, joining Sykes and Morrow on the sideline. That is a massive amount of offensive creation missing from an already average offense.<\/p>\n Toronto averages 86.2 points per game and ranks ninth in offensive rating at 108.2. Without Mabrey, I have a hard time seeing where enough consistent scoring comes from to keep pace with Indiana. The Fever lead the WNBA at 97.0 points per game and have much more firepower.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about motivation. Indiana is 26-14 and currently sits fifth because Atlanta owns the tiebreaker, but the Fever are still tied with the Dream in the standings and fighting for a first-round home game. Every win matters over the final four games. Toronto, meanwhile, has already been eliminated.<\/p>\n The question is whether Toronto can score enough to stay inside 12.5. With Mabrey gone, I don\u2019t think it can. Indiana should be able to create separation offensively, and unlike Toronto, it has something significant to play for. I\u2019ll lay the points.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Beginner’s guide to building parlays<\/a><\/p>\n Best WNBA sportsbook promos<\/p>\n Here are some of the current sportsbook welcome offers to consider when comparing legal betting sites. Promotions change frequently and depend on state eligibility.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Best sportsbook promos and betting app bonuses<\/a><\/p>\n New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx odds<\/p>\n Team<\/p>\n Spread<\/p>\n Total<\/p>\n Moneyline<\/p>\n New York Liberty<\/p>\n +6.5 (-105)<\/p>\n Over 176.5 (-110)<\/p>\n +205<\/p>\n Minnesota Lynx<\/p>\n -6.5 (-115)<\/p>\n Under 176.5 (-110)<\/p>\n -250<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Best DFS promos and app bonuses<\/a><\/p>\n Liberty vs. Lynx prediction<\/p>\n This is a much tougher spot for New York than the record alone suggests. Minnesota owns the best net rating in the WNBA at +10.0, ranking second in both offensive rating and defensive rating. The Lynx score 91.3 points per game while allowing only 83.4, and they are 14-6 at Target Center. New York is still a strong offensive team, but its defense ranks just eighth in defensive rating, creating a pretty significant two-way gap.<\/p>\n The season series is 1-1. New York won 99-86 at home before Minnesota responded with a 90-85 win at Target Center. I don\u2019t think the Liberty get run out of the building, but Minnesota has more ways to win possessions defensively and has been the much more complete team over the full season. Satou Sabally also remains out for New York, removing another versatile scorer and defender from the rotation.<\/p>\n Prediction: Minnesota 92, New York 84<\/p>\n MORE: Guide to how over\/under totals betting works<\/a><\/p>\n Liberty vs. Lynx best bet<\/p>\n I\u2019m backing Minnesota in this one. The Lynx are 31-9 with a +10.0 net rating, compared with New York at +3.7, and Minnesota has been far more reliable against the number this season. The Lynx are 23-17 ATS, while the Liberty are just 15-26 ATS.<\/p>\n What I like most is Minnesota\u2019s balance. Olivia Miles gives them another creator, Kayla McBride stretches the floor, and Napheesa Collier gives New York a difficult matchup on both ends. New York has enough talent with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones to keep this competitive\u2014still the better defensive team, with a perfect home-court advantage.<\/p>\n