Pinnacle +1 -109 BET365 -1 -105 Sportsinteraction -1½ -105 888Sport +1½ -117

Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

WNBA Regular Season

Climate Pledge Arena - Seattle, Washington

Wager: Seattle +1 (best odds: -108 at Pinnacle)

3:05 PM EST. The Connecticut Sun have been sitting on top of the WNBA rankings for weeks, owning a better record than all 12 teams, but they've also proven that it's somewhat flukey. The impressive wins have been very few - an OT victory over the Lynx before Minnesota was surging, a dominant win against the Mercury before they hit a new gear, sure, but they've mostly faced bottom-rung programs through the first month of action. Most of their other Ws were against inferior outfits- 3 wins against the Fever, 2 wins each versus the Mystics, Wings, and Sky; we're not that impressed. It's easy to own the best defense if you're facing some of the most inefficient and underdeveloped programs in the association. Against better offenses (Minnesota, New York, Las Vegas), their defense permitted 83 ppg and a 49.3% shooting percentage per game. Enter the Seattle Storm.

The Seattle Storm are not one of the WNBA's premiere offenses (the Sun aren't, either), but they're much closer to the Liberty and Aces than they are to the bottom-tier. Recently Seattle hit a rough patch, losers of 3 of their last 5 contests, and their offense scored a pedestrian 75 ppg in those 3 failures. But they've never lost more than 2 in row this season, and Sunday presents a great situation to turn it around again. Rated #3 overall in total defense, the Storm have yet to face the Sun this season, but they couldn't have asked for a better scheduling spot. Seattle lost to Las Vegas on Wednesday, in the wrong place at the wrong time against an Aces' squad that desperately needs more wins, but they've had a full 4 days to work on their preparation for today's battle. After their affair versus the Sun this afternoon, they won't have another matchup until Thursday, another home game in what will be nearly a one month stay in Seattle; 7 straight games in front of their own fans.

In the front and back courts, Seattle has formidable defenders who could make life very difficult for the visiting Sun. Connecticut is reeling after another humbling loss to the Aces two days ago, a game that the home team controlled from start to finish. Their offense didn't look capable or comparable. The Sun are also smack-dab in the middle of a brutal road stretch, 5 away spots in 10 days with one home game in the middle, which might as well be another road game because all they're doing is traveling. That gets taxing. Meanwhile, the Storm are waiting in the bushes, at home for several days and yearning for improvement after a few unsettling losses. The oddsmakers made Seattle the favorite from the beginning for good reason. 

Farley

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