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The WNBA season has been going for about a week, so it’s way too early to make any assumptions about teams. That doesn’t mean we won’t make them; it’s just too early to really believe it. I lost my first WNBA bet this season, so I hope to avenge that loss here as the Sky take on the Mercury.
The Chicago Sky is one of the most mismanaged basketball franchises. They had some big names on their team and just one championship to show for it.
Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner shoots over Indiana Fever guard Aerial Powers in the first half at PHX Arena. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)
There’s really no clear indication of what’s wrong with the franchise, but they’ve never been able to hold their talents down. Other than Kamilla Cardoso, I can’t name a single player on this team that they actually drafted. They seem to just find good players and then show them the door.
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Even though they’ve made some questionable decisions in the front office, they seem to have put together a solid team for this season – something I didn’t expect before the season started.
They’re 2-0, which is too early to really say they’re a good team. I also want to reserve judgment until they face a team with a longer history than last year. The Portland Tempo played their first ever game against the Sky, and Golden State was good last year, but is still only in its second season of existence.
The Phoenix Mercury are indeed considered one of the best franchises in the league. I’m sure there are issues that people have pointed out, but for the most part they have good facilities and people want to play for their team. They reached the WNBA Finals last season before losing to the Las Vegas Aces. This year they are looking to start that journey again and see if they can win the final game of the year.
Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper dribbles the ball in the second half at CareFirst Arena in Washington, DC on July 27, 2025. (Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images)
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There will have to be better play than they have shown in three games this year. They are just 1-2 for the year with an 0-1 record at home. The only win was a blowout win over the Aces (an obvious revenge game if we’ve ever seen one). Then they lost the next two games to Golden State and Minnesota. Losing to the Lynx wouldn’t be a problem, but they didn’t have Napheesa Collier, who is still dealing with an ankle injury.
I expect the Mercury to make some adjustments for this game. They haven’t looked very sharp early in the year, but they have been strong on offense, averaging 87 points per game.
The Sky will continue to rely on their offense to do just enough and their defense to lock down. The Sky have an advantage inside, which allows them to bring down buckets quite easily. I like 166.5 the most in this game.
Chicago Sky guard Skylar Diggins chases the ball during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center in San Francisco, California on May 13, 2026. (Bob Kupbens/Imagn Images)
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I also think it’s worth betting on Kahleah Copper to surpass her point total. Copper had two tough matches before breaking out in the final match. She now has the same lines of sight and can attack big guys from the sky thanks to her athletic qualities. Since arriving in Phoenix, she has scored 29, 7, 16, 25 and 28 points in five games against them.
For more news and sports betting, follow David on X/Twitter: @futurprez2024
