Indiana Fever vs Seattle Storm Point Spread Picks

Seattle has lost six in a row, but four of those defeats have come by five points or fewer, and the game that matters most here is the one against tonight's opponent: eleven days ago in Indianapolis, the Storm pushed Indiana to the final possession before falling 110-107 on the road. That's a far more useful data point than Indiana's most recent output, a 123-88 demolition of a Connecticut team that ranks among the league's worst by a wide margin. The Fever are legitimately playing well right now, with three straight wins, and this group deserves respect as a near double-digit favorite. But the number has to account for what actually happened the last time these two teams shared a floor, not just the scoreboard against a historically bad Sun club, and Seattle gets this matchup at home instead of on the road. Seattle keeps games competitive even in the middle of a losing streak, and getting north of nine and a half after a three-point head-to-head loss on the road last week is the kind of number I want on the dog. Seattle is the right side on the spread tonight.

The Storm are in rebuild mode. But this is a good time for them to be playing the struggling Fever. Both teams are 1-2. Indiana has the third worst defense in the league giving up 96.3 points per game. Seattle is surrendering an average of 86.5 points a game, 10 points fewer than the Fever. Indiana very well could be missing center Aliyah Boston, a top 20 player who sustained a lower leg injury in Friday’s 104-102 overtime loss to the Mystics. She is questionable. Lack of depth in the frontcourt is an Indiana weakness. The Storm have the rest advantage. They last played this past Wednesday when they lost, 86-73, on the road to Toronto. Seattle will be missing its leading scorer and rebounder, Dominique Malonga. She suffered a concussion against the Tempo. The Fever have the star power with Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. But those big names make the Fever overpriced in this spot. Take the Storm with the points and on the money line.

Seattle boasts a winning road record and a +2.6 point differential, which ranks fifth-best in the WNBA. The offense is also fifth in shooting (45.3%), while the defense is fourth in points given up and sixth in shooting allowed. Seattle has won four of five, as well as four in a row on the road. Indiana's defense is ninth in points given up (82.13 per game), ninth in shooting allowed, and 10th in defensive rebounds. Indiana is on a 2-6 SU, 1-7 ATS run, including losing three times as a favorite. Caitlin Clark (16.5 ppg, 8.8 apg) has missed 15 straight games, and they just lost Sophie Cunningham (8.6 ppg) to a season-ending knee injury. That has forced the Fever to sign guards Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers to seven-day hardship contracts. Play Seattle. 

This is the second game of a four-game trek for Indiana after a win at Dallas. Star guard Caitlin Clark (16.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 8.8 apg) has missed six straight games with an injury and is still out. Seattle is 8-6 at home and has the third-best defense in the league, allowing 78.6 points. The offense is fifth in shooting and fifth from 3-point land. The wagering value is on the home team to win the game. Play Seattle on the moneyline.