Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx Prediction, 5/14/2021 WNBA Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx

Date: Friday, May 14, 2021

Location: Target Center in Minneapolis, MN

TV: CBS Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Phoenix (+1)

The Phoenix Mercury (13-9 last year) head to Target Center on Friday where they'll take on the Minnesota Lynx (14-8 last season). The odds on this game have Minnesota as 1 point favorites. The over/under is set at 167.5.

The Phoenix Mercury faced off with the Minnesota Lynx and walked away from this one with a loss by a score of 80-79 in their last game. Phoenix wrapped up the game with a 44.8% field goal percentage (30 of 67) and converted 11 of their 30 shots from downtown. From the charity stripe, the Mercury knocked down 8 of 10 attempts for a rate of 80.0%. With respect to getting rebounds, they compiled 34 with 5 of them being of the offensive variety. They also distributed 23 assists for this contest while forcing the other team into 12 turnovers and earning 5 steals. With regard to defense, Phoenix let their opponent shoot 47.1% from the floor on 32 of 68 shooting. Minnesota doled out 5 dimes and had 8 steals in the game. In addition, Minnesota pulled down 29 rebounds (5 offensive, 24 defensive) and added 1 block. Minnesota shot 81.8% when shooting free throws by knocking down 9 of 11 attempts. They converted 7 out of their 17 shots from distance.

Diana Taurasi is a woman who was a factor for the game. She racked up 28 points on 9 of 20 shooting. She saw the court for 35:12 minutes played and also snagged 4 boards. Taurasi ended up going 45.0% from the floor and also distributed 9 dimes. One more player that had an impact in the matchup for the Mercury was Brianna Turner. She pulled down 14 rebounds in her 38:30 min on the hardwood. She finished shooting 100.0% from the field for the contest by connecting on 6-of-6 (13 points). Overall, Turner tallied 3 assists.

Phoenix will enter this contest after finishing with a record of 13-9 last season. They averaged 86.1 pts per game (4th in the league) while hitting 45.0% from the field. The Mercury hit on 34.3% on shots from downtown (185 of 540) and 82.5% from the charity stripe. As a squad, Phoenix snagged 34.0 rebounds per game and totaled 448 dimes over the course of last season, which had them ranked 4th in the WNBA in terms of passing the rock. They lost possession by turning the ball over 14.0 times per game and as a squad committed 19.7 fouls every game. When they were on defense, the Mercury forced 13.3 turnovers every game while drawing 20.1 personal fouls. They were ranked 3rd in the league in allowing assists to the opposition with 402 conceded throughout last year. The Mercury gave up a shooting percentage of 42.5% (663 of 1,559) and they conceded 36.0 rebounds per game as a team. They gave up 34.4% on 3-point attempts while they were 8th in the WNBA in opponents PPG (84.1).

The last time they took the hardwood, the Minnesota Lynx went home defeated by a final of 92-71 against the Seattle Storm. The Lynx earned 29 defensive rebounds and 11 offensive boards for a total of 40 for the game. They coughed up the ball 19 times, while getting 3 steals in this contest. The Storm committed 18 personal fouls in this game which got the Lynx to the charity stripe for 14 shots. They were able to knock down 12 of those for a clip of 85.7%. With regard to shots from downtown, Minnesota made 7 of 22 tries (31.8%). When all was said and done, the Lynx went 26 for 68 from the field which gave them a rate of 38.2%. The Lynx allowed the Storm to convert 37 out of 78 attempts from the field which had them sitting at 47.4% for this game. They finished 26.9% from behind the 3-point line by shooting 7 of 26 and ended up shooting 11 out of 13 from the charity stripe (84.6%). With respect to cleaning up the glass, Minnesota allowed Seattle to grab 34 in all (7 on the offensive side).

Napheesa Collier ended up being a major contributor for the Lynx for this contest. She made 10 of 17 for the game for a rate of 58.8%, and had 15 rebounds. Collier earned 22 points in her 35:03 minutes on the court and accumulated 2 dimes for the contest. An additional woman that ended up playing a role for Minnesota was Crystal Dangerfield. She left the arena with 2 assists in her 38:12 mins on the hardwood, and she knocked down 7 out of 19 from the field. Dangerfield walked away from this one going 36.8% from the floor as well as totaling 16 points and 5 boards.

Minnesota had a mark of 14-8 last season. The Lynx were responsible for committing 16.9 fouls every game and they shot 81.8% from the free throw line. They got an assist 19.8 times per game (6th in the league) and they turned it over 14.2 times per contest. Minnesota tallied 1,857 points over the course of last year (84.4 per contest) and they averaged 34.4 boards per contest. As an offense, the Lynx hit 45.6% from the floor, which was ranked 5th in the WNBA. The Lynx on defense were ranked 5th in the league in PPG surrendered with 80.6. The Minnesota defense surrendered 33.1% on shots from 3-point land (169 of 510) and their opponents converted on 80.1% of their free throw shots. They forced 14.3 TO's per game and let teams shoot 44.6% from the field (6th in the WNBA). They allowed 19.7 dimes and 30.9 rebounds on a nightly basis, which ranked them 9th and 1st in basketball.

Who will win tonight's WNBA game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Phoenix (+1)

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