Mercury vs. Storm Prediction, Odds and Key Players for WNBA Commissioner's Cup

Can the Storm extend their winning streak to five on Tuesday night?

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. / Joe Timmerman/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Don’t look now, but the Seattle Storm have won four games in a row, and their trio of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike is really starting to mesh. 

Four players for the Storm (Ezi Magbegor being the fourth) are averaging in double figures as they enter a home matchup against the Phoenix Mercury (4-5) on Tuesday. 

The Mercury have been without star center Brittney Griner to open the season, and it’s hurt them tremendously on the glass (eighth in rebounding percentage). Still, Phoenix has some elite guard play between Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper, Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham that has kept it around .500 in the early going this season. 

Still, the Mercury are sizable underdogs in this matchup, but they have won a game against the Las Vegas Aces and covered in a matchup against the New York Liberty. Phoenix has the top-level talent, but can it pull off an upset?

Here’s a look at the latest odds, key players to watch and my best bet for Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup matchup: 

Mercury vs. Storm Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Mercury +7.5 (-110)
• Storm -7.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Mercury: +260
• Storm: -325

Total

• 167 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Mercury vs. Storm How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, June 4
• Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Climate Pledge Arena
• How to watch (TV): CBSSN
• Mercury record: 4-5
• Storm record: 5-3

Mercury vs. Storm Injury Reports

Mercury Injury Report

• Rebecca Allen – out
• Brittney Griner – out

Storm Injury Report

• None to report

Mercury vs. Storm Key Players to Watch

Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi: Diana Taurasi is still balling at this stage in her career, averaging 17.8 points per game while shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range. The Mercury are relying heavily on Kahleah Copper offensively, but if Taurasi is scoring this much and this efficiently, they’ll have a chance to hang around in this game. 

Seattle Storm

Nneka Ogwumike: This is a dream matchup for Ogwumike with Griner out of the lineup. The Storm forward has been elite in her first season in Seattle, averaging 18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 64.0 percent from the field. She could be in line for a big game in this matchup. 

Mercury vs. Storm Prediction and Pick

Seattle has three straight wins by nine or more points, blowing out Washington and Indiana – two of the league’s worst teams – over that stretch. 

While the Storm got off to a slow start, they are now 5-3 against the spread on the season, although they are just 1-2 at home. 

Phoenix is 5-4 against the spread, but I think this matchup just isn’t a good one for the Mercury. Ogwumike should have a field day in the paint, and it’s important to note that Seattle has won four in a row despite Loyd and Diggins-Smith not shooting the ball well this season.

Loyd is shooting just 34.5 percent from the field and Diggins-Smith is 39.6 percent from the field, yet the Storm are finding ways to win. They rank No. 4 in the league in defensive rating (Phoenix is 11th) and they’ve jumped from the bottom three in the league to sixth in effective field goal percentage over the last week. 

If Seattle’s interior duo of Ogwumike and Magbegor controls this game, the Storm should win going away. 

Phoenix can score, but the lack of defense has hurt it so far this season. 

Pick: Storm -7.5 (-110)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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