Charlie Cummings breaks down his prediction and pick for Monday’s Unrivaled matchup between the Rose and Mist.

With only four games left for each team in the Unrivaled regular season, everything feels like it’s on the line. Both the Rose and the Mist are in danger of missing the playoffs if they drop more games. They’ll be going at each other full tilt tonight.

The Mist are 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Rose come in as +110 underdogs. The game total is set at 144.5 points. Let’s get into my prediction and pick for this Unrivaled matchup.

Rose vs. Mist prediction, preview

The Mist are perhaps the best example of the thin margins in a short season. At one point, they were 6-2 and in contention for the top seed in the league. After losing two straight, they’re in jeopardy; one more loss could put them outside of the playoff picture.

The Rose hope to be the beneficiary of that fall. At 5-5, they’re just outside of the playoff picture due to point differential, but a convincing win would give them some momentum before the break for the 1v1 tournament. It’s possible that a big roster shakeup is coming for the Rose as they look to bolster the title defense chances, and everyone is buzzing after a Monday morning trade announcement.

Azurá Stevens is a talented, sizable defender who brings double-double upside nightly. That certainly makes the trade seem odd when the Rose are giving up a great player for nothing. Unless… that addition is coming from outside the league.

Angel Reese was a key part of the title-winning team last year, and clearing a spot in the frontcourt sure fuels the speculation for a reunion. Rumors are beginning to pick up that she may come to the Unrivaled stage, but we have no announcement before this game tips off, so this team will compete as-is.

The timing of this trade puts a damper on their chances tonight. They still have a three-headed monster in Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper and Shakira Austin (who is making herself a lot of money with this run). Lexie Hull and Sug Sutton can give them good minutes off the bench. But the absence of Stevens will be felt against the Mist.

The Mist can throw a lot of size at opponents. Breanna Stewart may have guard skills, but she’s huge. Alanna Smith brings a serious presence down low, and Li Yueru is a size mismatch for most WNBA teams. How the Rose address this size deficit is going to dictate the outcome of the game.

Rose vs. Mist pick, best bet

Frankly, I’m not sure why the line on this game is so tight. If Azurá was playing, I could see the vision, but that last-minute absence could be devastating. The Mist will get back on track tonight and solidify their position in the playoff picture before the 1v1 tournament kicks off.

Best Bet: Mist -1.5 (-120)