Storm vs. Aces Best Bets: Seattle tries to get on track

The Seattle Storm hit the road looking to end their slide against the Las Vegas Aces

Jun 20, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) controls the ball against Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game at Michelob Ultra Arena. / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

MATCHUP NOTES

The Seattle Storm (16-14) hope getting away from the Pacific Northwest may turn around their losing ways. The Storm makes the trip to southern Nevada on Friday night to battle the Las Vegas Aces (16-14) as the winner will sit alone in third place in the Western Conference standings.

Seattle suffered through a dreadful three-game homestand, losing in double-overtime to Los Angeles, followed by a pair of four-point defeats to Indiana and Minnesota.

The Storm made a huge splash on Tuesday, acquiring All-Star guard Brittney Sykes from the Mystics. Sykes is averaging 15.4 points per game and hopes to make her Storm debut on Friday night.

First practice in Seattle ✅ pic.twitter.com/ZD4kbiD4vl

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) August 7, 2025

The Aces have caught fire since back-to-back losses at New York and Washington in July. Las Vegas star center A'ja Wilson returned from a wrist injury to lead the Aces to consecutive wins prior to the All-Star break.

The Aces are 5-3 since the break with two of the losses coming to the league's top team, Minnesota. Following an embarrassing 111-58 home setback to the Lynx, Las Vegas is fresh off two wins over Golden State.

HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUPS

The Storm have captured two of three meetings with the Aces this season, with both victories coming outright as an underdog.

Seattle's top-scoring game in regulation this season came in a 102-82 rout of Las Vegas on May 25 at Climate Pledge Arena. Forward Nneka Ogwumike led the Storm with 23 points, while guard Erica Wheeler posted 21 points off the bench.

The Aces bounced back a week later in Seattle with a 75-70 win as three-point favorites. The Storm were held to 8-of-22 shooting from 3-point range and attempted only seven free throws.

Seattle knocked off Las Vegas as three-point road underdogs, 90-83 on June 20. Ogwumike paced the Storm with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Skylar Diggins put up 24 points. In the first two matchups with the Aces, Diggins scored a total of 21 points.

FIRST QUARTER BETTING TRENDS

Seattle has significantly different numbers in the first quarter on the road as opposed to home. At Climate Pledge Arena, the Storm have slumped to a 5-9-2 straight-up and 4-12 against the spread mark in the opening 10 minutes.

However, the Storm have performed better away from the Pacific Northwest at 9-5 both straight-up and against the spread in the first quarter. Seattle has been terrific recently on the road in the first quarter, going 8-1 SU and ATS in the last nine opportunities.

Las Vegas is 3-1 both straight-up and ATS in the last four games in the first quarter, limiting three of those opponents to 18 points or less. In the past five home contests, the Aces have eclipsed the Over in the first quarter.

BETTING PREDICTION

DraftKings has the Aces as a one-point home favorite, while the total is set at 161.5.

Two of the three matchups easily went Over the total this season. In Seattle's blowout of Las Vegas in the opening meetings, the teams combined for 184 points on a 158 total.

The second matchup never got close to the 161 total, as the Aces and Storm combined for 161 points.

The third game sailed Over the total of 160.5 in Seattle's 90-83 win on June 20.

The Storm finished Under the total in six consecutive games prior to their current 3-1 Over run.

The Aces have hit the Over in four of the last six games, including four of the past five at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Seattle owns better offensive numbers than Golden State, who Las Vegas shut down the last two games. Expect the Storm to give the Aces problems on the offensive side as we'll see a high-scoring contest and the Over.

BEST BET: Storm/Aces Over 161.5