Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Aces Prediction & Picks: Will the Champs Cruise at Home?

Following one of the best seasons in WNBA history, the Las Vegas Aces will start their quest for a championship three-peat tonight with a home matchup with the visiting Phoenix Mercury (10:00 pm ET, ESPN2).

After finally getting over the championship hump in 2022, the Aces unlocked another level last season. They went 34-6 in the regular season, then lost only once in nine postseason games as they took out the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, and New York Liberty to become the first franchise to repeat since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002.

• What are the best spread and over/under bets for tonight’s Mercury-Aces matchup? Find out below.
• Will Phoenix be able to give Las Vegas a game without Brittney Griner? The forecast isn’t promising.
• Read on to see where to bet on Mercury-Aces odds, as well as the other games on the opening night slate.

No one has three-peated since the Houston Comets claimed the first four titles in the league’s existence (1996-99), but with their core back, sans the recently retired Candace Parker, the Aces are favored to be the last team standing again, ahead of the New York Liberty, Connecticut Sun, and Seattle Storm.

While the Aces are set to be the class of the WNBA once again, the Mercury will be looking to bounce back from a 9-31 season. Unfortunately, Griner being sidelined indefinitely due to a fractured toe affects both the short and long-term outlook for Phoenix.

Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Aces Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s WNBA games.

Spread

• Phoenix Mercury +16.5 (-110)
• Las Vegas Aces -16.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 169 (-115)
• Under 169 (-105)

Moneyline

• Phoenix Mercury +870
• Las Vegas Aces -1500

Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Aces Betting Analysis

In the offseason, the Mercury had some significant roster turnover, which included bringing in 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and veteran guard Natasha Cloud.

Last season, Copper averaged a career-high 18.7 points per game and shot a career-best 40.4% from three. Cloud, meanwhile, averaged 12.7 PPG (a career high) and 6.2 assists per game.

Phoenix also added some solid depth in Morgan Bertsch, who was a part of the trade that brought Copper from Chicago, as well as Rebecca Allen, a trade pickup from the Connecticut Sun.

But can the Mercury survive or thrive without Griner? It remains to be seen how long she will be sidelined, but she will be missed whether it’s a few weeks or longer.

The Aces have a significant injury absence of their own to deal with, as Chelsea Gray is out tonight as she continues to recover from a foot injury.

However, Gray’s absence doesn’t carry the same weight as Griner’s, given that Gray is just one piece of the Aces’ four-headed monster along with A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young.

It’s possible that the Mercury could make things interesting for a while, but don’t expect this one to be close in the end. Last season, the Aces were 25-1 SU and 18-8 ATS at home between the regular season and postseason, and they will pick up where they left off with a comfortable win tonight.

Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Aces Prediction & Picks

Mercury vs Aces Prediction: Aces to win and cover

Mercury vs Aces Picks: Aces -16.5 & Mercury/Aces over 169

Other WNBA Betting Information

Where to Bet on the WNBA This Season

Thanks to the growing popularity of the WNBA and women’s basketball, you will be able to find WNBA odds this season at sportsbooks far and wide.

In addition to offering odds on each game on the schedule, many sportsbooks also offer a variety of WNBA futures odds, such as championship winner odds, WNBA MVP odds, win total odds, and more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for WNBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

What if you don’t have an account at a book on this list? Check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Interested in Learning More About WNBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the WNBA? Check out our WNBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about betting on WNBA player prop bets, our NBA player props guide is a handy resource to utilize.

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