Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WNBA match.
An important playoff contention match will take place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, where the Chicago Sky host the Washington Mystics, who are two wins behind the coveted eighth spot. For the visitors, this is the last chance to gain an edge over their direct competitors in a head-to-head confrontation with just over a week left in the season.
Chicago Sky
It's not advisable to focus too much on the Chicago Sky's last two games against the Los Angeles Sparks (92:78) and the Dallas Wings (92:77). The Sky played at home against the worst team of the season and the most porous defence in WNBA history.Their offence has little to boast about. At home, the Sky only average 77.7 points per game, which is the second-lowest in the league.
Washington Mystics
In contrast, the Washington Mystics have, in three of their last five matches, held opponents to under 80 points. The Mystics generally play solid defence, and since the Olympic break (a significant sample of 10 games), they rank in the top five in defensive rating: allowing just 100.4 points per 100 possessions.
Chicago Sky — Washington Mystics Prediction
The teams met not long ago, at the end of August. It was a tough and grinding game where the Chicago Sky and the Washington Mystic combined to barely surpass a total of 140 points, shooting an average of 45.2% from the field. Two weeks later, the stakes are even higher. Why take unnecessary risks?
