Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream Prediction, Preview and Odds - 6/9/21
It’s an interconference matchup on the hardwood in WNBA action down in Hotlanta. The defending champion Seattle Storm are on the road as they travel to face the Atlanta Dream Wednesday night. Seattle split a two-game set at home against Dallas, falling 68-67 in the second game of the set Sunday night. Atlanta was swept in a two-game road series at Minnesota as they were drubbed 100-80 in the second game of the series Sunday night. The Storm took both meetings in the bubble last season, including a 100-63 pasting as the “home” team in the most recent matchup on August 12, 2020. That gave Seattle five wins in the last seven meetings.
Seattle Storm Looking to Bounce Back From Rare Loss
Seattle had won six straight games but ran out of steam late as they were edged by Dallas after winning a pair of close games against the Wings earlier this season. The Storm dropped to 7-2 on the season and sit second in the WNBA playoff picture, half a game behind the league-leading Sun. Against Dallas, Seattle trailed by four after the opening quarter, led by as many as 10 in the first half and was up five at halftime. In the second half, the Storm extended to a game-high 12-point lead with 3:12 to play in the third quarter before things started to come apart. Seattle still managed to hold a seven-point lead with 2:06 to play but went scoreless the rest of the way. The Storm gave up the game’s final eight points, capped by a game-winning three-pointer with 0.7 seconds to play, to take the loss. Seattle shot only 34.4% from the field, including eight of 24 from three-point range, and lost the rebounding battle 42-34. Jewell Loyd led the Storm with 25 points in the loss.
The Storm comes into this contest second in the league in scoring offense with an average of 88.8 points per game. Seattle is fourth in rebounding (37.2 boards per contest) and is first in the league in assists by dishing out 22.2 dimes per night this year. The Storm is 8th in scoring defense as they allow 84 points a game so far this year. Breanna Stewart leads the team with 22.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. Jewell Loyd (20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists) and Sue Bird (11.1 points, 6.2 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 third in the league in field goal percentage as they convert 44.8% of their shots from the floor this year. Seattle is third in the league in three-point field goals made per game (9.3) and is second in three-point percentage as they knock down 38.4% percent from beyond the arc. The Storm are average at the line, ranking sixth in the league by converting 80.3% of their chances. Mikiah Herbert Harrington is out for the year as she is pregnant.
Atlanta Dream Trying to Regroup at Home
Atlanta had won four straight before heading to the Twin Cities, where they dropped both games to the Lynx, and now look to regroup at home here. The Dream entered Tuesday 4-4 on the season and held the seventh seed in the WNBA playoff picture, one game ahead of the ninth-place Wings to remain in the playoff picture. On Sunday night, Atlanta found themselves in a 13-0 hole out of the gate and couldn’t get closer than six the rest of the way as the Lynx put up their best offensive showing of the season. The Dream shot 43.8% from the field, including 10 of 25 from three-point range, but turned the ball over 18 times while allowing Minnesota to shoot 51.5% in the game. Tiffany Hayes led Atlanta with 21 points in the loss.
The Dream is 4th in the league in scoring offense coming into this contest as they average 84 points a game this season. Atlanta is 9th in the league in rebounding (34.4 boards a night) and stands 11th in assists with an average of 17.9 per game. The Dream are 11th in the league in scoring defense as they allow an average of 86.6 points a contest this season. Tiffany Hayes is one of three players for the Dream scoring in double figures as she puts up 18.1 points a night. Chennedy Carter contributes 15.7 points plus 3.5 assists per contest. Odyssey Sims, Crystal Bradford, Tianna Hawkins, Elizabeth Williams, Monique Billings, Courtney Williams (18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists), Aari McDonald, Cheyenne Parker and Shekinna Strickland are other key rotation pieces for coach Nicki Collen. The Dream are 8th in field goal percentage as they shoot 42.3% from the floor as a team. Atlanta stands seventh in threes per game (7.6) and 4th in three-point percentage as they hit 36.3% of their long-range attempts. The Dream is 12th in the league in free throw percentage as they shoot 69.3% from the stripe as a team this year. Carter (elbow) is out indefinitely after getting injured in the game against the Liberty May 29.
Pick: Seattle Storm -8.5
While Seattle suffered a setback in their game against Dallas their last time out, that’s more the deviation from the norm when you get right down to it. The Storm struggled shooting the ball and posted a season low in points in the game. Seattle had hung at least 80 points in each of their first eight games of the year. Fortunately, Atlanta is second worst in the league in scoring defense, 10th in field goal percentage defense (44.8%) and 10th in three-point field goal percentage defense (37.5%) on the year. Without Carter, the Dream have had issues on both ends of the floor. With their defensive struggles this season, facing Seattle is too much for them to handle. Give the Storm the advantage as they pick up a road win here.
Total: Over 169
We know that Seattle can pile up the points, seeing that they have put up at least 80 points in eight of nine games this season. The Storm can shake off Sunday’s game against Dallas as an aberration as they usually don’t shoot that cold from the floor. Seattle has seen the over go 6-3 in their games on the year. Atlanta has the capability to put up big point totals but they are just as prone to giving up big numbers. The over has hit in five of the eight games for the Dream this season. Six of the last 10 meetings between the teams have gone over the mark, including each of the last three. Given Seattle is ready to bounce back and Atlanta is leaky defensively, this one goes over the mark.
