WNBA Betting Picks and Player Props for Saturday 6/1/24
The WNBA is back, and fans and bettors alike can get into the action on FanDuel Sportsbook.
The W's 40-game season offers a wide variety of betting options, including point spreads, moneylines, and totals. While there's a lot to sift through, advanced stats from the WNBA can help us find an edge in the betting market.
Let's dive into the WNBA odds on FanDuel Sportsbook and find today's best bets.
Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.
WNBA Best Bets
Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever
Sky -3.5 (-110)
It goes without saying that this is a bad matchup for the 1-8 Indiana Fever.
They're 1-8 for a reason. Indiana has the W's second-worst offensive rating and worst defensive rating, predictably resulting in the league's worst net rating (-15.6) by a significant margin.
But the Chicago Sky present a uniquely difficult challenge for the Fever, particularly inside.
Not only has Indiana recorded the second-worst total rebound rate, but they've also allowed the third-most points in the paint and second-chance points.
It doesn't help that they just lost Temi Fagbenle, a 6'4" big who recently cracked the starting lineup and ranks third on the team in rebounding.
That's not ideal against such an interior-oriented squad like the Sky. Chicago is down at 10th in total rebound rate, but they are averaging the second-most offensive rebounds per game. In addition to that, the Sky have gotten 49.9% of their points in the paint, ranking third in the W with 40.3 points in the paint per game.
Elizabeth Williams (12.0 points; 8.2 rebounds) and Angel Reese (11.0 points; 8.2 rebounds) have been stellar underneath, but even more interior help is on the way. Isabelle Harrison made her season debut this week while Kamilla Cardoso is on track to make her professional debut against the Fever.
The Sky just have a lot of able bodies to throw at the Fever underneath, so Indiana doesn't have a large margin for error.
But, based on their first nine games, they need one. Even if Indiana can hang with the Sky inside, the Chicago defense could have a field day against the turnover-happy Fever.
With Caitlin Clark's 5.7 turnovers per game leading all players, the Fever have turned the ball over at a 19% clip thus far. They're allowing 18.6 points off turnovers per game (second-most) and 13.8 fastbreak points per game (most).
That's less than ideal when you're facing a Chicago side that forces the third-most turnovers while averaging the third-most points off turnovers (20.3) and most fastbreak points (14.5) in the league.
Simply put, this is a bad matchup for the Fever. With the Sky already 2-1 on the road, I like them to continue their surprising start and cover this 3.5-point line on Saturday.
Caitlin Clark Under 26.5 Points + Assists (-112)
All things considered; Caitlin Clark has gotten off to a pretty strong start to her WNBA career.
Through nine games, CC is averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game.
Sure, the turnovers (5.7 per game) are high and the field goal percentage (37.7%) is low, but the scoring and playmaking has been there.
But it hasn't always come in the same game, and that's an angle I want to attack against Chicago's top five defense.
Clark has only hit 27 combined points and assists in four of nine games, and while she's done so in each of the last two, those have come with 14 total turnovers.
The Sky excel at forcing turnovers, and they've been excellent against top-end guards. Despite facing All-W level talent like Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jewell Loyd, and Sabrina Ionescu, only Arike Ogunbowale was able to go over this line. She did so twice but notably attempted 23 and 28 shots in doing so.
Clark hasn't taken more than 17 shots in a game this season, so she faces an uphill battle in reaching 27 combined points and assists. I'll take the under her and trust a physical Sky defense to keep her under wraps.
Marina Mabrey Over 17.5 Points (+100)
Marina Mabrey is on a tear right now. Plain and simple. She's averaging a career-high 17.3 points per game and has cracked 20 points in three of her last four games.
That's come with a team-high 22.4% usage while Mabrey's 8.0 three-point attempts per game are easily the most of her career.
So, with her points prop set at 17.5 for Saturday's bout with Indiana, I'll jump on the over at +100 odds.
Mabrey has scored at least 18 points in four of six games overall, and in all but one where she played 30+ minutes.
That sets her up nicely against a Fever defense allowing the most points (91.2) and second-most threes (9.1) per game. Indiana has surrendered an 18-point scorer in every game this season. In total, they've allowed 15 players in nine games to score 18+ points.
Given her scoring onslaught, there's a chance this prop inches up as we get closer to tip, but with Indiana struggling to defend the perimeter, I'm happy to play this up to 19.5. As of Friday evening, Mabrey has +164 odds to record 20+ points.
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.