Two teams stranded in the bottom third of the WNBA standings meet with pride and position on the line. CheckLive's model makes Phoenix Mercury a 56% favorite, a medium-confidence read that still leaves room for a surprise.
Phoenix Mercury have been inconsistent, beating Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky while losing to Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream. Portland Fire hold the better record and the higher standing, but their last five — wins over Seattle Storm and Toronto Tempo, losses to the Sparks, Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces — look just as choppy.
Their only head-to-head meeting so far went to Phoenix Mercury, and it was a tight one. Expect a similar grind, with the deciding push coming in the final minutes from whichever team locks in defensively without losing its offensive flow.
