Atlanta Dream vs. Los Angeles Sparks Prediction, Preview and Odds - 8/19/21
A pair of teams on the outside of the WNBA playoff picture take the floor against each other in interconference action from the City of Angels. The Atlanta Dream are on the road as they make the trip to face the Los Angeles Sparks in the second game of a two-game series Thursday night. In the first game of this two-game set, it was Los Angeles hanging on for an 85-80 overtime victory Tuesday night. The Sparks have won six straight and 10 of the last 11 meetings in the series. Will the Sparks come up with another win at home to maintain their recent momentum or will the Dream find a way to get back in the win column?
Atlanta Dream Trying to Overcome Defensive Issues
Atlanta battled but ended up falling short in overtime to suffer their sixth straight loss and 13th in the last 15 games in the process. The Dream dropped to 6-15 on the season and stand 11th in the WNBA playoff picture, three games behind the Wings for the final playoff spot. On Tuesday, Atlanta led by six at the half and by 10 with 3:22 to play in the third quarter only to end up in overtime. During the extra session, the Dream was within one with 3:27 to play but found themselves outscored 7-3 the rest of the way. Atlanta shot 38.6% from the floor, including five of 20 from three-point range, but bricked 11 of their 18 free throws to negate a 48-41 edge on the glass. Odyssey Sims led the Dream with 26 points and six assists in the loss.
The Dream is 4th in the league in scoring offense coming into this contest as they average 82.5 points a game this season. Atlanta is 11th in the league in rebounding (34 boards a night) and stands 8th in assists with an average of 18.3 per game. The Dream are 12th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 88.3 points a contest this season. Tiffany Hayes is one of four players for the Dream scoring in double figures as she puts up 17.6 points a night. Chennedy Carter contributes 14.2 points plus 3.3 assists per contest. Odyssey Sims, Crystal Bradford, Tianna Hawkins, Elizabeth Williams, Monique Billings, Courtney Williams (16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists), Aari McDonald, Cheyenne Parker (10.2 points, 4.5 boards), Candice Dupree and Shekinna Strickland are other key rotation pieces for coach Darius Taylor. The Dream are 9th in field goal percentage as they shoot 41.9% from the floor as a team. Atlanta stands 10th in threes per game (6.5) and 10th in three-point percentage as they hit 32.3% of their long-range attempts. The Dream is 12th in the league in free throw percentage as they shoot 71.6% from the stripe as a team this year. Carter is suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team during the game against the Aces July 4. Parker is out for the year as she announced she was pregnant last month. Hayes has missed two months with a MCL tear but is expected to return here.
Los Angeles Sparks Looking to Build Momentum
Los Angeles won their second straight after the Olympic break as they put that six-game skid heading into the break in the rear-view mirror by earning the win Tuesday night. The Sparks entered Wednesday 8-13 on the year and sat 10th in the WNBA playoff picture, three games behind the Wings for the final playoff spot. Los Angeles was even after the opening quarter, trailed by six at the half and was down 10 late in the third quarter before rallying to force overtime. In the extra session, the Sparks held the Dream to just three points over the final 3:27 to earn the victory. Los Angeles shot 45% from the field, including five of 22 from beyond the arc, and knocked down eight of their 10 free throw attempts in the game. Brittney Sykes led six Sparks players in double figures with 17 points and five assists in the win.
On the season, Los Angeles is 12th in the league in scoring offense as they average 73.8 points per game. The Sparks are last in rebounding (30.4 boards per game) and 12th in assists (15.2) this season. Los Angeles is 2nd in scoring defense as they give up an average of 79.4 points a night. Nneka Ogwumike leads the team with 15.3 points plus 7.3 rebounds a game this season. Chiney Ogwumike (nine points, 5.7 boards) and Kristi Tolliver (9.5 points) are solid secondary scoring options. Derek Fisher hopes to get more from role players like Brittney Sykes, Nia Coffey (7.5 points), Erica Wheeler (14 points, 4.5 assists), Te’a Cooper (8.8 points), Amanda Zahui B. (11.6 points, 6.2 boards) and Arella Guirantes. Los Angeles is 12th in field goal percentage on the season as they shoot 40% from the field as a team on the year. The Sparks are tied for 6th in three-pointers per game (seven) and 8th in three-point shooting as they convert 32.9% from beyond the arc this season. Los Angeles is 11th in success at the charity stripe as they cash in 76.1% of their attempts on the year. Jasmine Walker was lost for the season with a torn ACL that she suffered against Las Vegas May 21. Chiney Ogwumike missed the last 18 games with a knee injury and is out indefinitely.
Pick: Los Angeles Sparks
When the league’s worst offense meets the league’s worst defense, something has to give here. Even when Atlanta gets a decent showing on the offensive end of the floor, they are let down again by their lack of defense. The Dream hopes to get Hayes back after she seemed poised to return in Sunday’s contest against the Mercury. Given the way the Dream have failed to put together any cohesion on the defensive end of the floor, you have to fade them accordingly here. Los Angeles has put together back-to-back wins as the return of Ogwumike seems to have given them a shot in the arm. We saw the Sparks put up 85 points Tuesday, which is tied for their third-highest point total of the season. That’s enough to give them the advantage in this one.
Total: Under
Again, something has to break here when you have polar opposites at the bottom of different categories. The Dream continues to be brutal on the defensive end of the floor, ranking last in scoring defense, last in field goal percentage defense (47.4%) and last in three-point field goal percentage defense (40.1%) on the year. Los Angeles has had all kinds of issues on the offensive end but they did score 85 points in the first meeting Tuesday. There is always the potential that they can improve on those numbers in this one. Still, eight of the last 10 meetings between the teams have fallen under the total. Even with an improved offensive showing by the Sparks, it’s hard to see another game going over the mark despite the Dream’s putrid defense. Look for this contest to end up short of the mark.
