The Phoenix Mercury are just one win away from returning to the WNBA Finals.
Viewed as a long shot to win the championship, Phoenix is now in a great position to claim the franchise’s fourth championship.
After dropping a hard-fought game in the series opener, the Mercury have been on fire, winning the next two games by a combined 53 points.
The Las Vegas Aces now have their backs against the wall and face a win-or-go-home scenario in Game 4 on the road.
Sports betting apps in Arizona see Game 4 as a toss-up. However, for the first time in these playoffs, the Mercury will have a true home-court advantage.
Arizona Oddsmakers Still Not Buying Into Phoenix Mercury
As of Tuesday, most online sportsbooks in Arizona are showing a lot of respect to Las Vegas.
Despite being shot out of the gym the last two games, Caeasers Sportsbook AZ, BetMGM Arizona and the WynnBet Arizona sportsbook all have the Aces as 1.5-point favorites. Meanwhile, DraftKings Arizona is slightly backing Phoenix, listing the Mercury as a 1-point favorite.
| Sportsbook | Moneyline | Over/under | Point spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | Las Vegas Aces -120 Phoenix Mercury +100 | 171.5 | Las Vegas Aces -1.5 |
| Caesars | Las Vegas Aces -120 Phoenix Mercury +100 | 171.5 | Las Vegas Aces -1.5 |
| DraftKings | Las Vegas Aces -115 Phoenix Mercury -105 | 171.5 | Phoenix Mercury -1 |
| WynnBet | Las Vegas Aces -120 Phoenix Mercury +100 | 171.5 | Las Vegas Aces -1.5 |
In the last two games, the Mercury have looked unstoppable. But there still might be some hesitancy in writing off the No. 2 overall seed in the playoffs. Las Vegas still has the reigning league MVP in A’ja Wilson. But the truth is, this is not the same Mercury team that struggled during the regular season.
The Mercury averaged 82.1 points per game heading into the postseason. In the playoffs, they average 92.4. During the season, they sank 7.5 3-point shots per game, a mark that has spiked to 9.8 in the playoffs.
The leadership from franchise player Diana Taurasi is playing a factor as she plays through a hurt ankle. Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith are making huge plays. And in Game 3, the star was Brianna Turner, who recorded a career-high 23 points and a playoff career-high 17 rebounds.
There is a bit of injury news heading into the game for the Mercury. Sophie Cunningham is listed as questionable with a left calf strain. Cunningham was the star in the team’s first-round win-or-go-home game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix Mercury Odds To Win WNBA Title Get A Boost
Heading into the semifinal round of the WNBA Playoffs, the Phoenix Mercury universally had the worst odds of the four remaining teams. As we told you previously, that was the time to buy in. After two straight dominating performances, the sportsbooks are taking note.
Most sports betting apps now list give the Mercury the second-best odds to win the championship.
| Team | BetMGM | Caesars | DraftKings | WynnBet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Sun | +180 | +180 | +210 | +190 |
| Phoenix Mercury | +240 | +250 | +230 | +215 |
| Chicago Sky | +350 | +325 | +300 | +425 |
| Las Vegas Aces | +400 | +400 | +390 | +360 |
Mercury Finally Return To Footprint Center
For the first time since Sept. 19, the Mercury will be playing a game on their actual home court in their true home arena. The team’s last two home playoff games were held away from the Footprint Center due to scheduling conflicts.
A concert pushed the team’s first-round game against the New York Liberty to Grand Canyon University Arena. While a Disney On Ice show moved Game 3 of the semifinals to Arizona State University’s Desert Financial Arena.
The franchise might have had to improvise once again if it was not for the Phoenix Suns. The NBA team, which shares the Footprint Center with the Mercury, agreed to hold a scheduled preseason game against the Los Angels Lakers earlier in the day as part of an unprecedented doubleheader. The move makes way for the Mercury to come back home to play in primetime and hopefully clinch a WNBA Finals birth.
(2) Las Vegas Aces at (5) Phoenix Mercury – Game 3
PHX Leads Series 2-1
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 7:00 PM MST
Location: Footprint Center – Phoenix, Arizona
TV Coverage: ESPN
