Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury Preview, Prediction and Odds - 8/17/21
Interconference action is all the rage in WNBA action as teams continue to get up to speed coming out of the Olympic break. The Indiana Fever are on the road as they travel to the Valley of the Sun to face the Phoenix Mercury Tuesday night. Indiana ended up falling 75-70 on the road in their first game to the Sparks coming out of the Olympic break Sunday night. Phoenix rolled to a 92-81 home win over Atlanta in their first post-Olympic break contest Sunday night in their most recent game. The Mercury have won eight of the last 10 meetings between the teams though they split two meetings in the bubble last season. In the first meeting last year, it was the Fever winning 106-100 on July 29, 2020 before the Mercury answered with a 105-81 triumph in the most recent meeting on September 3, 2020.
Indiana Fever Hoping to Get Back on Track
Indiana won their final three games heading into the Olympic break but came up on the short end in their contest with the Sparks on the road Sunday night. The Fever enter this game 4-17 on the year and are in the basement of the WNBA standings, five games behind the Mystics for the final playoff spot. On Sunday, Indiana was playing catchup most of the way and it ended up costing them in the end. The Fever trailed by as many as 12 in the opening quarter before climbing to within four after one quarter. Indiana cut the deficit to three at the half and tied the game after three quarters. The Fever was within one with 3:39 to play before getting outscored 7-2 down the stretch to take the loss. Indiana was held to 33.3% shooting from the floor, including four of 18 from three-point range, and turned the ball over 14 times in the game. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 20 points in the loss.
The Fever comes into this game 11th in the league in scoring offense with 74.6 points per game. Indiana is eighth in the league in rebounding (35 boards per contest) and is 11th in the league in assists with an average of 16.5 dimes per game. The Fever are 10th in the league in scoring defense by allowing 84.5 points a night. Kelsey Mitchell is one of three players for the Fever averaging in double figures with 16.3 points a night. Teaira McCowan (11.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks) and Danielle Robinson (9.8 points, 3.8 assists) are good secondary options. Tiffany Mitchell (11.6 points), Jantel Lavender, Bernadett Hatar, Victoria Vivians, Jessica Breland, Lindsey Allen, Kysre Gondrezick and Chelsey Perry are looked at to contribute for coach Pokey Chatman. Indiana is 10th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 41.1% as a team on the year. The Fever are 12th in threes per game (4.2) while standing 12th by hitting 26.2% of their long-range attempts. Indiana is 8th in free throw shooting as they sink 79.7% of their chances at the stripe this season. Hatar is out indefinitely with an ankle injury while Gondrezick is taking a personal leave and has no timetable for return. Perry (knee) also remains out indefinitely at this point in time.
Phoenix Mercury Looking for Back-to-Back Wins
Phoenix won for the third time in four games as they opened up the post-Olympic break with a victory over a sinking Atlanta team Sunday. The Mercury improved to .500 on the year and enter this game sixth in the WNBA playoff picture, two games ahead of the ninth-place Wings to remain in the playoff picture. Against Atlanta, Phoenix bolted to a 20-4 lead in the opening quarter and maintained control the rest of the way. The Mercury led by 11 after the opening quarter, by five at the half and withstood an Atlanta charge that brought them within one in the opening minute of the third quarter. Phoenix pulled away again in the second half to earn the victory. The Mercury shot an even 50% from the floor, including 10 of 25 from three-point range, and won the rebounding battle 45-40 in the contest. Skylar Diggins-Smith led Phoenix with 19 points plus seven assists in the win.
The Mercury are 8th in the league in scoring offense as they put up an average of 80.4 points per game. Phoenix is fifth in rebounding (36.2 rebounds) per contest and stand seventh in the league by handing out 19.1 assists a night. The Mercury are seventh in the league in scoring defense as they give up an average of 81.5 points per game. Skylar Diggins-Smith is second on the Mercury in scoring with 19.1 points plus 5.3 assists a night. Brittney Griner (20.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks), Diana Taurasi (15.9 points, 4.3 assists) and Brianna Turner (7.4 points, nine rebounds) are solid scoring options. Kia Nurse (9.5 points), Kia Vaughn, Megan Walker, Sophie Cunningham, Shey Peddy and Alanna Smith are other role players for coach Sandy Brondello. Phoenix is fifth in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 43.1% as a team from the floor. The Mercury is tied for 8th in three-pointers per game (6.9 per game) and 11th in three-point shooting (31.6%) this season. Phoenix is 9th in the WNBA in free throw shooting as they cash in 79.2% of their chances on the year.
Pick: Phoenix Mercury
Indiana had won three in a row but their loss to Los Angeles showed how they have issues on the offensive end of the floor. That doesn’t bode well here against Phoenix, who has the ability to put up points, as we saw in the win over Atlanta Sunday. The Mercury are healthy with Taurasi back in the mix full speed alongside Griner and Diggins-Smith to provide that 1-2-3 scoring punch that you need at this level. The Fever are just 1-9 on the road this season and have been outscored by an average of 14.8 points per game in those outings. Phoenix has been a .500 team on the year but they climb over the mark here with a victory.
Total: Over
Indiana is 11th in scoring offense, 10th in field goal percentage and 12th in three-point shooting on the year, which doesn’t instill confidence when it comes to piling up points. The Fever have seen the under hit in 13 of their 21 games this season entering this contest. Phoenix is below average offensively but they get a crack at a team that is third-worst in the league in scoring defense. The Mercury took advantage of the league’s worst defensive team in the Dream to the tune of 92 points. Five straight meetings between these teams and nine of the last 10 matchups have ended up over the number. Even with Indiana struggling offensively, this one winds up over the mark as Phoenix takes care of things to put up another big offensive total.
