Today's Free Picks for

Pinnacle N/A BET365 O85½ -115 Sportsinteraction O85½ -110 888Sport O86½ +100
Posted at 5:45 PM EST. Odds subject to change.
WNBA Regular Season
Wintrust Arena, Chicago Illinois
Live on PRIME Video
Wager: LV/CHI 1H over 86½ (best odds: +100 at 888Sport)
7:05 PM EST. The Las Vegas Aces and the Chicago Sky are both flying high right now, for different reasons. After a pedestrian 6-6 start, the reigning champions just won their second game in a row, dismantling the Storm and Sun, two of the WNBA's top teams, each by 11 points the last week. That comes as no surprise to handicappers like yours truly but it's a delineation from what their product was in weeks prior. Dealing with injuries, new members of their roster and the all-too-common post-title slump, Vegas hasn't been as sharp defensively but they're finally starting to find their rhythm of offense. MVP favorite A'ja Wilson continues to light up the scoreboard and grab double-digit rebounds every time she's on the court (she averages 28/12 this season), and other veterans like Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Alysha Clark have hit a different gear and elevated their offense after recent disappointments. The Aces are 2nd overall in scoring (87.2 ppg) and they lead the W in tempo.
Clearly it meant a lot to Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky when they finally knocked off the Indiana Fever on Sunday. It was a seminal moment for the roster, a group that's still working on their consistency but one that's proven their toughness on defense and has the starting pieces to excel on offense. Thursday marks a tough spot for Chicago, though, since the emotional high of beating Indiana might be hard to match, even four days later. The Aces are also in their bag right now, not slowed down or limited at all by two of the best WNBA defenses in their last two contests, a sign that they're regressing to their championship form once again.
The first half total should be higher. The full-game total has risen a few times since it was initially released (opened at 168 and now it's over 170 at most books), but the halftime total has, surprisingly, dropped. Initially oddsmakers had the first half total at 86 or higher, but most sportsbooks show it at 85 or lower at this juncture. That makes little sense. The Chicago Sky can start slow, but they run at one of the quickest tempos in the W in the 1st quarter and they're faster overall in the first half, too. Their offensive efficiency also improves in the first two periods. We're not concerned about the efficiency of Vegas, but it makes our wager even stronger if the Sky can hang early. This is the first meeting of these two programs, so we love points throughout the contest, but especially before defenses can adjust.
Farley
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Our Pick
Las Vegas/Chicago 1H over 86½ +100 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.00)
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