Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun Prediction, Preview and Odds - 6/13/21
It’s an interconference battle of the top two teams in the WNBA when they collide on the hardwood in the Nutmeg State. The Seattle Storm are on the road as they travel to face the Connecticut Sun Sunday afternoon. Seattle closed a two-game road set down in Hotlanta against the Dream Friday night, sweeping the series with an 86-75 win. Connecticut has been off since walloping New York 85-64 at home in their most recent contest last Saturday. The Storm won the first meeting between the teams this season, claiming a 90-87 overtime victory at home on May 25. That gave Seattle six wins in the last nine meetings between the teams.
Seattle Storm Looking to Improve Hold on Top Spot
Seattle won their second straight and eighth in the last nine games as they took care of business against Atlanta on the road to sweep a two-game series. The Storm entered Saturday 9-2 and holding a half-game edge over Connecticut for the top spot in the WNBA playoff picture. Seattle trailed by two after the opening quarter but took control of the game with a 25-13 edge in the second to lead by 10 at the half. The Storm didn’t let the Dream closer than six the rest of the way to earn the victory. Seattle shot 50.8% from the field, including 10 of 21 from three-point range, and held a 41-33 edge on the glass while limiting the Dream to 36.1% shooting. Jewell Loyd led the Storm with 20 points in the win.
The Storm comes into this contest second in the league in scoring offense with an average of 89.1 points per game. Seattle is fourth in rebounding (37 boards per contest) and is first in the league in assists by dishing out 22.6 dimes per night this year. The Storm are 7th in scoring defense as they allow 82 points a game so far this year. Breanna Stewart leads the team with 21.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. Jewell Loyd (20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists) and Sue Bird (10.6 points, 6.3 assists) are solid secondary options. Coach Noelle Quinn has a solid group to work with as her team can get production from Katie Lou Samuelson, Jordin Canada, Candice Dupree, Ezi Magbegor, Stephanie Talbot, Kennedy Burke, Epiphanny Prince and Kiana Williams. The Storm are second in the league in field goal percentage as they convert 46.1% of their shots from the floor this year. Seattle is second in the league in three-point field goals made per game (9.6) and second in three-point percentage as they knock down 40.5% percent from beyond the arc. The Storm are average at the line, ranking sixth in the league by converting 80.9% of their chances. Mikiah Herbert Harrington is out for the year as she is pregnant.
Connecticut Sun Seek to Avenge Earlier Loss to Storm
Connecticut has had more than a week off before this game as they took down the Liberty with relative ease in their previous game last Saturday. The Sun enter this one 8-2, atop the Eastern Conference standings and second in the league, half a game behind the league-leading Storm. Against New York, Connecticut led by five after the opening quarter and by as many as eight in the first half, only to trail by four with 3:39 to play in the half. The Sun regrouped by closing the first half on a 12-2 run to take a six-point advantage at the half. Connecticut then opened the second half with a 9-0 run to take a 52-37 lead with 7:01 to play in the third quarter and didn’t see the Liberty get closer than nine the rest of the way. The Sun shot 43.7% from the field, including seven of 21 from three-point range, and controlled the glass 38-22. Jonquel Jones led Connecticut with 31 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
The Sun is seventh in the league in scoring offense as they put up an average of 81.4 points per game so far this season. Connecticut is third in the league in rebounding (37.5 boards a night) while they stand seventh by dishing out 18.7 assists a game on the year. The Sun have been good defensively as they are first in scoring defense by allowing an average of 72.5 points per game. DeWanna Bonner is second on the Sun with 16.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game. Jonquel Jones (team-high 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds), Natisha Hiedeman (9.7 points) and Brionna Jones (12.6 points, six rebounds) each are valuable contributors. Jasmine Thomas (11.1 points, four rebounds, five assists), Briann January, Beatrice Mompreier, Stephanie Jones, DiJonai Carrington and Kaila Charles are important pieces for coach Curt Miller. Connecticut is fourth in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 43.7% as a team. The Sun are fifth in three-pointers per game (8.2) and third in three-point percentage (37.4%) on the year. Connecticut has sputtered at the charity stripe as they convert on 78.4% of their attempts, which is 9th in the league. Alyssa Thomas is questionable as she recovers from offseason surgery for a torn Achilles. Jones is out for most of June as she is representing Bosnia and Herzegovina in EuroBasket.
Pick: Seattle Storm -5
While this game is a home contest for the Sun, there are a couple things that makes it a tough call when it comes to trying to back them here. Losing Jones is a massive blow as she is a frontrunner for WNBA MVP and has been a double-double machine this season. While Bonner is capable of stepping up, the fact remains that it’s a ton of production to try and replace right now. There’s also the factor of trying to knock off some of the rust that comes with not playing a game in eight days like the Sun’s situation here. Seattle has their leading trio of Stewart, Loyd and Bird ready to go and beat the Sun when Jones was in the mix in the first meeting. Without her, Connecticut has their problems and the Storm gets the win.
Total: Under 157.5
We know that Seattle can pile up the points, seeing that they have put up at least 80 points in 10 of their 11 games this season. That included a 90-point showing in the first meeting with the Sun this season. The Storm have cracked the 90-point plateau six times already this season and have hit the century mark twice. Seattle has seen the over hit in six of their 11 games on the year. Connecticut leads the league in scoring defense but they are going to have their problems on both ends of the floor without Jones in the mix. The Sun has seen the under hit in seven of their 10 games on the year. Without Jones, the Sun slows things down offensively and as a result, Seattle doesn’t need as many points to earn a victory. This one ends up under the total.
