Fansided

Fever vs. Mercury prediction and odds for Thursday, June 29 (Phoenix is must fade)

By Peter Dewey

May 19, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) in the first half against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
May 19, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) in the first half against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Indiana Fever are having a much better 2023 season than they did in 2022, but they have dropped to last place in the Eastern Conference with back-to-back losses entering Thursday’s action.

The Fever are on the road on Thursday to take on Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury, who have gotten off to a dreadful start in 2023.

With Skyla Diggins-Smith (maternity leave) out of action, the Mercury are just 2-11 and have lost six straight games.

Phoenix ranks dead last in the WNBA in defensive and net rating, and things may not be getting better with bench players Shey Peddy and Meg Gustafson ruled out for Thursday’s game.

Let’s dive into the odds for this game and my best bet:

Fever vs. Mercury odds, spread and total

Fever vs. Mercury prediction and pick

I refuse to bet on this Mercury team right now, especially since the team has lost by double-digit points in every single game on this losing streak.

A few of those games came without Taurasi and Brittney Griner, but the Mercury also lost by 15 at home to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday with both players in the lineup.

Taurasi is one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball, but she’s struggling this season, shooting just 36.0 percent from the field and averaging 14.0 points per game.

The Mercury’s last win came on the road against the Fever, but Indiana has actually been better on the road (4-5) than at home (1-4) this season.

Indiana’s Achilles heel is usually its defense (10th in the WNBA in defensive rating), but the Fever shouldn’t have an issue with that tonight. Phoenix is dead last in offensive and defensive rating, while the Fever are third in offensive rating.

This Indiana team – led by Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell – can score the rock at a high rate.

With Phoenix putting up just 62 points in its last game, I’ll gladly take the Fever to win this one outright.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.