Lynx vs. Storm Prediction, Odds and Key Players for WNBA Season Opener
By Peter Dewey
The fourth and final matchup on opening night in the WNBA is in Seattle with the new-look Seattle Storm taking on the Minnesota Lynx.
Minnesota finished under .500 last season, but it was still a playoff team while the Storm finished with the second-worst record in the WNBA.
Seattle has re-tooled this offseason, adding Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith to play alongside Jewell Loyd, and oddsmakers are taking notice.
After being favored just five times in the 2023 season, the Storm are 8.5-point favorites in their season opener.
Can they show that this season will look much different than 2023?
Here’s a look at the latest odds, my best bet and more for Tuesday night’s contest:
Lynx vs. Storm Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Lynx +8.5 (-110)
- Storm -8.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Lynx: +340
- Storm: -440
Total
- 165 (Over -108/Under -112)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Lynx vs. Storm How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, May 14
- Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Climate Pledge Arena
- How to watch (TV): ESPN3
- Lynx record: 0-0
- Storm record: 0-0
Lynx vs. Storm Injury Reports
Lynx Injury Report
- Dorka Juhasz – out
- Sika Kone – out
Storm Injury Report
- None to report
Lynx vs. Storm Key Players to Watch
Minnesota Lynx
Napheesa Collier: Arguably the most underrated player in the WNBA, Napheesa Collier finished fourth in the voting for the WNBA MVP award last season despite the Lynx going just 19-21. Collier averaged 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in 2023. Can she continue her rise as one of the game’s best players?
Seattle Storm
Skylar Diggins-Smith: After missing last season due to maternity leave, Diggins-Smith is back with a new team in Seattle. This should be an exciting spot for the star guard, as Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike are terrific running mates who should help the Storm turn things around after a dreadful 2023 season. Diggins-Smith is a six-time All-Star who averaged 19.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game in the 2022 season.
Lynx vs. Storm Prediction and Pick
This is a young Minnesota team, as only Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride have more than five years of experience in the WNBA.
There are high hopes for rookie forward Alyssa Pili, and it’ll be interesting to see how she meshes on this roster that is built around Collier.
The Storm may have completed the fastest rebuild ever after losing Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, adding two of the best players in the league in Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith this offseason.
I am intrigued to see how this team gels with new faces, but it kept its top two scorers from last season in Ezi Magbegor and Loyd.
Even with a bad team in 2023, the Storm were still .500 against the spread. I think they are well-equipped to be one of the better teams in the league in 2024, and I don’t mind laying the points here at home.
Pick: Storm -8.5 (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's WNBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.