Phoenix at Tulsa

Defending champion Phoenix is still a handful. The team is on a 6-3 SU run, with great balance at #6 in the league in scoring, rebounds and assists, plus #4 in points allowed. Phoenix leaned on its defense last year to win the WNBA title and got off on the right foot the last game. After receiving the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy prior to the game, Brittany Griner delivered 11 blocks -- a league playoff record -- along with 18 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes to lead the Mercury to an 88-55 rout Thursday over Tulsa. Griner led the league in blocks with 105. Phoenix's bench also delivered 32 points in extended action, allowing Griner and the other starters plenty of rest before game two. Phoenix is 6-2 ATS in its last eight Conference Semifinal games. They face a Tulsa team that seems to have run out of gas after a hot run, on a 2-3 SU, 1-3-1 ATS run. Tulsa is 3-8-1 ATS following a loss, and 4-11-1 ATS when following a spread loss. Phoenix hasn't lost a first-round playoff series since 2000 and is 10-1 in playoff series after winning the first game. Tulsa may be home but the Shock are 2-8-1 ATS when playing on one day of rest, so grab the confident champs and play on Phoenix.