The Phoenix Mercury have turned the tables on the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals of the 2021 WNBA playoffs.
After coming up short 96-90 in the series opener, the Mercury came out firing in Game 2, blowing the Aces off their home floor in a 117-91 beatdown.
Now the series shifts to Phoenix. The Mercury need two more wins to book their ticket to the WNBA Finals. And they can get it done with two opportunities to play in front of their home fans.
Sportsbooks in Arizona have the odds for Game 3 as basically a toss-up. But the Mercury are slight underdogs. With two talented teams and the series is tied 1-1, it could truly go either way.
WNBA semifinals Game 3 Arizona betting odds for Mercury
For Thursday’s Game 2, the Mercury were 6.5-point underdogs. Yet the squad blew that number out of the water with a dominating performance.
Now, online sports betting apps in Arizona are expecting the Aces to rebound and play well on the road.
| Sports betting app | Point spread | Over/under | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings Sportsbook | Las Vegas Aces -1.5 (-110) Phoenix Mercury +1.5 (-110) | 171.5 (-110/-110) | Las Vegas Aces -115 Phoenix Mercury -105 |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Las Vegas Aces -1 (-110) Phoenix Mercury +1 (-110) | 171.5 (-110/-110) | N/A |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | Las Vegas Aces -1.5 (-105) Phoenix Mercury +1.5 (-115) | 171.5 (-110/-110) | Las Vegas Aces -118 Phoenix Mercury -104 |
| WynnBet Sportsbook | Las Vegas Aces -1 (-115) Phoenix Mercury +1 (-105) | 171.5 (-110/-110) | N/A |
The Mercury exploded for 117 points in Game 2, their highest output of the season. Phoenix’s Big 3 played a major whole the entire game and will look to carry that momentum into a critical Game 3.
Can Mercury’s Big 3 play big in Game 3?
Even with a bad foot, the Mercury’s franchise player Diana Taurasi proved she’s not done chasing another championship.
The White Mamba scored a playoff career-high 37 points in Game 2. The 39-year-old has been dealing with a left ankle injury but made a career-high eight 3-pointers. She missed the final four games of the regular season and the single-elimination first-round matchup against the New York Liberty due to the injury.
The Big 3 made their presence felt all game long. Brittney Griner scored 25 points and also had seven rebounds and five assists. Skylar Diggins-Smith chipped in with 17 points and five assists. Together, Taurasi, Griner and Diggins-Smith assisted or scored on 101 of the team’s 117 total points.
Phoenix set a WNBA playoff record with 68 first-half points on 76.5% shooting from the floor. This marks the second game in a row the Mercury got off to a hot start offensively. They will look to keep up this sharp-shooting in another unique home playoff environment.
Now is the time to bet big on the Mercury
Despite a convincing win on Thursday night, it seems like the Mercury did not do enough to convince sports betting apps in Arizona on their title hopes. As of Friday, most sportsbooks are giving Phoenix the fourth-best odds to win the WNBA championship.
| Team | DraftKings Sportsbook | Caesars Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Sun | +120 | +115 | +110 |
| Las Vegas Aces | +200 | +200 | +200 |
| Chicago Sky | +550 | +550 | +500 |
| Phoenix Mercury | +650 | +700 | +700 |
If you are a Mercury fan and are interested in sports betting, this might be a tasty little opportunity. Before the semis started, Phoenix had the third-best odds to win it all. So it’s odd that the oddsmakers have not shifted the outlook on the team’s chances after putting on arguably the most dominant performance of the playoffs.
To put this in perspective, both this series and the matchup between the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky are tied at one win apiece. Put another way: All four teams remaining in the playoffs are five wins away from being crowned champion.
Mercury to host second home playoff game away from home
Once again, the Mercury will play a home playoff game away from the team’s home court at the Footprint Center due to a scheduling conflict. Game 3 will take place at Arizona State University’s Desert Financial Arena.
The Mercury are being booted out of the Footprint Center due to a Disney On Ice show. Last week, the venue hosted a concert pushing the team’s first-round game against the New York Liberty to Grand Canyon University Arena.
However, Thursday’s win for Taurasi and company guarantees that there will be a Game 4 played in Phoenix. That game will be held at the Footprint Center as part of an unprecedented doubleheader. The Mercury and Aces will tip-off after the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers in preseason NBA action on Oct. 6.
(2) Las Vegas Aces at (5) Phoenix Mercury – Game 3
Series Tied 1-1
Date: Sunday, Oct. 3
Time: noon MST
Location: Desert Financial Arena – Phoenix, Arizona
TV Coverage: ABC
