Mercury vs Aces WNBA Prediction & Picks (5/21): Can Phoenix Challenge the Champs Again?

Despite being without Brittney Griner, the Phoenix Mercury gave the Las Vegas Aces all that they could handle in last week's season opener.

Tonight, they will be looking to repeat or better that feat as the two teams meet at Michelob Ultra Arena for the second straight Tuesday.

In last week's matchup, the Aces jumped out to a 29-14 lead after a quarter and appeared to be well on their way to thumping the Mercury. Instead, Phoenix pulled within one at halftime, went ahead in the third quarter, and rallied again in the fourth quarter after Las Vegas had broken open a tied game with a 19-6 run.

In the end, the champions were able to salt away an 89-80 win, but it was not the rout that they initially appeared on course for.

What will we see in tonight's rematch? The Aces struggled to put away another inferior opponent on Saturday, so the Mercury may be encouraged about their chances to hand out a rare home loss.

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 +14 (-115)
• Las Vegas Aces -13 (-105)

Over/Under

• Over 172.5 (-116)
• Under 172.5 (-104)

Moneyline

• Phoenix Mercury +725
• Las Vegas Aces -1150

Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Betting Analysis

How badly are the Aces missing the injured Chelsea Gray?

Judging from how the first two games have gone, they might be ripe for a few defeats until Gray, who is recovering from a left foot injury, returns, whenever that may be. Prior to the Aces' game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, Gray said she does expect to play this season, but a return date is up in the air.

With both this summer's Olympics and a three-peat run in mind, Gray doesn't need to be rushed back for a run of early regular season games that will mostly be wins, even if they are achieved more arduously than expected.

That said, after the Aces struggled against the Mercury in their opener then did so again against the Sparks on Saturday, teams aren't going to be as afraid of the Aces for now as they might if they were playing a full-strength team.

Even double-digit leads aren't enough to put opposition off. Like the Mercury, the Sparks were down by 13 in the fourth quarter. However, they made it a four-point game late in an eventual 89-82 loss.

With that in mind, it might be wise to stay away from any spreads involving the Aces.

They can, however, still score, even when they don't shoot well. In their opener, they scored 89 points despite shooting only 40.8% (29 of 71) from the field and 20.7% (6 of 29) from three. And in Saturday's game, they scored 89 points again despite shooting only 42.5% (31 of 73) from the field. It's only a matter of time before they hit the 90-point mark, which they did 32 times in 50 games last season, for the first time this season. Look for that to happen tonight as they improve to 3-0.

Phoenix Mercury vs Las Vegas Aces Prediction & Picks

Mercury vs Aces Prediction: Aces to win

Mercury vs Aces Picks: 1) Aces team total over 93.5 points (-115 at Bovada), 2) Jackie Young over 20.5 points (-110 at Bovada), 3) A'ja Wilson over 10.5 rebounds (-115 at Bovada)

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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