Mystics vs. Sky Prediction, Odds, Best WNBA Prop Bet for Thursday, Sept. 17

The young Washington Mystics have been one of the best stories in the WNBA this season, going from a non-playoff team in 2025 to a potential top-five seed in 2026 – depending on how they finish the season.

Washington is just three games back of the No. 3 seed in the W, and it finds itself as a road favorite on Thursday against the Chicago Sky. Despite shaking up the roster in the offseason, moving on from Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins, the Sky are 10 games under .500 and have long been eliminated from playoff contention.

Chicago entered the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup break on a three-game skid, and it lost the lone meeting between these teams in 2026 by 18 points in Washington, D.C.

The Mystics and Sky matchup on Sept. 17 and Sept. 24 to close the season, and Washington actually plays three games against non–playoff teams over the next week. That could help the Mystics improve their spot in the standings, as they currently hold the No. 7 seed despite being tied record wise with New York and Dallas.

Oddsmakers have set Shakira Austin and Co. as road favorites in this matchup, but the Sky have not been an easy out at home, going 10-10 this season.

Here’s a look at the odds, a player prop to bet and my prediction for the first of two games remaining between these teams in 2026.

Mystics vs. Sky Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Mystics -1.5 (-112)
Sky +1.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Mystics: -125
Sky: +105

Total

165.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Mystics vs. Sky How to Watch

Date: Thursday, Sept.17
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Wintrust Arena
How to Watch (TV): CW26, MNMT, WNBA League Pass
Mystics record: 24-16
Sky record: 15-25

Mystics vs. Sky Injury Reports

Mystics Injury Report

Georgia Amoore -- questionable
Sonia Citron -- out

Sky Injury Report

Skylar Diggins -- out
DiJonai Carrington -- out
Natasha Cloud -- questionable

Mystics vs. Sky Best WNBA Prop Bets

Mystics Best WNBA Prop Bet

Kiki Iriafen OVER 9.5 Rebounds (-133)

In today’s edition of Peter’s Points – my WNBA Best Bets column for SI – I shared why this is a great matchup for Iriafen, who has been one of the best rebounders in the league over the last two seasons:

This season, former first-round pick Kiki Iriafen is averaging 9.4 boards per game for Washington, and she picked up at least 10 rebounds in each of her last six games before the break for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

The Mystics are the best rebounding team in the WNBA, ranking No. 1 in rebound percentage and No. 1 in opponent boards per game. Meanwhile, the Sky enter this game with the No. 12 rebound percentage in the league, allowing the most opponent boards per game (36.9).

Iriafen had 11 rebounds in the lone meeting between these teams, and she should have a field day on the glass since Chicago is one of the worst shooting teams (13th in effective field goal percentage) in the WNBA.

Mystics center Shakira Austin will challenge the second-year forward for boards, but I think both could find their way into 10 or more on Thursday.

Mystics vs. Sky Prediction and Pick

Over their last 10 games, the Sky have the third-worst net rating in the league (minus-7.7) and they dropped three games in a row before the FIBA World Cup break.

Since several teams – like Chicago – have nothing to play for over the final week of the regular season, we could get some lopsided scores between playoff teams and non-playoff teams. After all, the Mystics already scored 90 points in an 18-point win over Chicago earlier this year.

Still, the Mystics are just 13th in the W in offensive rating, so they aren’t the best team to bet on to win by margin, even with a 12-8 against the spread record on the road. The Mystics have covered in five of eight road games where they were favored, but this moneyline price isn’t too much to lay on Thursday.

Since Chicago has been decent at home (10-10 straight up, 12-8 against the spread), I’m going to forget the points in this one.

Washington has a ton at stake when it comes to the playoff picture, as it doesn’t want to fall into the No. 8 seed and have to play a dominant Minnesota team in Round 1.

Pick: Mystics Moneyline (-125 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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