Mystics vs. Sparks WNBA Picks and Odds Breakdown (Archive)
The Washington Mystics will be without Elena Delle Donne on Tuesday night as they face off against the L.A. Sparks. Can the Sparks hold serve at home, or will Washington pick up the win as road favorites? Below, we’ll go through the WNBA odds and share a winning betting pick! Let’s go.
Washington Mystics vs. Los Angeles Sparks
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – 10:30 PM EDT at Crypto.com Arena
Washington Mystics Highlights
At the beginning of the season, I didn’t think Washington would be as good as they have been in the first half. While they are one of the deeper teams in the WNBA, they are still a step or two behind the league’s best teams like Las Vegas, Connecticut, and the defending champion Chicago Sky.
The Mystics may not be good enough to get a first-round bye in the playoffs, but they are good enough to beat almost anyone when fully healthy. If they stay healthy and get hot at the right time, they could win their second title in three seasons.
Elena Delle Done Is Out Today
Full health won’t happen on Tuesday though, as Elena Delle Donne is out due to rest. I mentioned this a week or two ago when I last wrote about the Mystics that they will be very conservative with Delle Donne in the early part of the season.
There is no need to push her to play to start this road trip when they have road games against the Storm and Aces coming up later in the week. This is especially true after playing at home Sunday, only to have to be across the country two days later.
Mystics Betting Odds and Analysis
Elena Delle Done out may deter some from betting on the Mystics and I would agree in most spots, but the Sparks have not been great lately, even after getting rid of Derek Fisher as head coach.
The WNBA odds at BMR's top-rated books and betting sites have moved a ton since the Mystics ruled out Delle Donne, but they have moved enough to find some value in the Mystics, especially in a derivative spot play where the Sparks have struggled this season.
Mystics vs. Sparks Betting Pick
Los Angeles Sparks
- Across 14 games played this season, the Sparks rank dead last in first-half defense, allowing 109.3 points per 100 possessions.
- Being at home has actually been worse for them in first halves too, owning a 110.2 defensive rating in four home games this season.
- Fisher’s poor coaching was a big reason for their first-half struggles. It’s been going on for years and it’s almost been printing money to fade them in these spots.
- The Sparks have allowed 120 points per 100 possessions in their last two first halves.
The Washington Mystics
- The Mystics own the league’s fourth-best first-half offense and I still think they can win this game and they are almost surely going to be up at the half.
- Without Delle Donne, the Mystics' two-star guards will take on more of a load, but this team also has one of the deepest frontcourts in the entire W.
- Third overall pick Shakira Austin is having a great rookie season and between Myisha Hines-Allen, Elizabeth Williams, and Kennedy Burke, this team has a ton of frontcourt firepower behind Delle Donne.
For my betting picks, I fully expect the Sparks to take this team lightly to begin the game knowing that Delle Donne is out and I think the Mystics can take advantage of that and the recent spread value to come their way.
WNBA Pick: Washington Mystics -1 First Half (-115) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds pro