After suffering a 36-point road loss to the New York Liberty last Sunday, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will try to bounce back against the Washington Mystics on Friday.
While Clark’s rookie season is off to a promising start, there’s been drama around how she and her teammates have been discussed off the court.
It all started last weekend when Clark, this year’s No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, took a shoulder shot from Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter away from the ball. Carter’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant 1, sparking a media firestorm about whether the call was fair or if Clark is getting special treatment from the refs.
Clark has had some high-profile supporters throughout the controversy as well. UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said Clark is being “targeted.”
The situation has also impacted the Sky, as Carter and her teammates were harassed by a man on camera in Washington, D.C., prior to Wednesday’s game against the Mystics.
Clark and Co. will try to put the drama behind them when they take on the Mystics on Friday night.
Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics Betting Preview
Game Details
- Date: Friday, June 7
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Fever -105, Mystics -115
- Spread: Fever +1 (-110), Mystics -1 (-110)
- Total: Over/Under 163.5 (-110/-110)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.
While the Mystics are the WNBA’s lone winless team at 0-9, they enter this game as slight home favorites on the spread and moneyline at DraftKings. They have two players averaging over 10 points per game (Ariel Atkins and Shakira Austin) and rookie Aaliyah Edwards, who Clark defeated in last season’s Final Four.
Clark (15.6 points per game) leads a more dangerous attack for the 2-9 Fever. She’s one of four Indiana players averaging 10-plus points per game along with Kelsey Mitchell (15.1), NaLyssa Smith (11.9) and Aliyah Boston (10.4).
Although Clark suffered an ear injury in her most recent game, she’s expected to play and sportsbooks are bullish on her prop bets. DraftKings has her scoring line at 17.5 points with the odds juiced -130 to the Over.
Clark has struggled with her shot lately, scoring just 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting (23.8%) over her last two games combined. However, she’s in a good spot to bounce back against Washington’s lackluster defense, which ranks eighth out of 12 WNBA teams in opponent scoring and 10th in defensive rating.
The Mystics will also be vulnerable on the second night of a back-to-back.
Accordingly, Fever ML (-105) and Over 163.5 (-110) are both worth a look. Clark Over 17.5 points (-130) at half a unit is also worth considering, as Washington has allowed 18-plus points to a guard in all but one game this season.
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