Portland at Minnesota

Portland played last night, riding the emotional high of a come-from-behind 84-83 win in Dallas that snapped a four-game skid. The Lynx are the best team in the league — top-ranked defense, a net rating of 14.8 that leads the WNBA, and an 8-2 mark against the spread this season. Courtney Williams and Olivia Miles have carried the load without Napheesa Collier, who has been sidelined since the start of the year, and they've done it exceptionally. But the posted number asks Minnesota to win convincingly in the double digits, something even elite teams rarely pull off against competitive opposition in a 40-minute game. Portland has legitimate pieces. Megan Gustafson gives them a frontcourt option that draws defensive attention, and the Fire have enough perimeter creation to chip away at any lead when the other team eases up. The back-to-back adds a real headwind for Portland. The number cancels it out. Back Portland tonight.