Published on: May 21, 2022 8:49 pm IST|Updated on: May 21, 2022 8:49 pm IST
PHO vs LVA Dream11: The WNBA is definitely one of my favorite leagues and I love it for many many reasons. The athletes who have made it this far have been chiseled through four years of college programs or there are some incredible international players. In this game, the Phoenix Mercury will host the Las Vegas Aces in yet another riveting Women’s National Basketball Association(WNBA) affair.
The Mercury hasn’t started well, losing three of their five games and it seems like not having Griner has hurt them. In the last game, Mercury lost to the Wings 84:94 despite a 31-point outburst by Diana Taurasi. On the other hand, the Aces have lost just one out of six games and this start is not a surprise at all. In the last game, the Aces defeated the Lynx 93:87 as Jackie Young racked up 25 points. Can the Mercury get a win in this intense affair?
Host: Las Vegas Aces Visitors: Phoenix Mercury Match Timing: 22 May, @ 12:30 AM (+05:30 UTC) Venue: Michelob ULTRA Arena
Third meeting
The Aces have beaten the Mercury twice, first winning by 18 points and then by 12 points. This means that the Mercury has been unable to keep up with the running game of the run-and-gun Aces offense that is thriving under coach Becky Hammon. The Aces are first in Offensive Rating of 112.0 while their defensive rating keeps improving. It is clear that the Aces are thriving.
The defense has been a huge problem for the Mercury and there is no doubt that without Griner, their rotations have suffered as she is able to provide quality help defense. Their defensive rating of 107.8 is the second-worst and they have been lagging behind due to that. Their offense has done well and they can find multiple sparks from the field but the Mercury surely needs to fix the defense.
In this game, the Mercury’s lack of athleticism and lack of young legs can hurt against athletic players like Hamby, Young, Wilson, and Plum. Different players have found their groove in different games such as Wilson, Young, Plum, and Hamby, which has been the best thing for the Aces, they are more than about just Wilson or Plum. For the Mercury, Taurasi has been terrific scoring-wise but Brianna Turner has been off while Diamond DeShields is doing well in the starting role.
Highest scorer: Kelsey Plum: 22 Highest rebounder: A’ja Wilson: 12 Top assists maker: Chelsea Gray: 8 Score Prediction: Aces 90 Mercury 83
Las Vegas Aces vs Phoenix Mercury NBA Live, Team News and Lineups
Las Vegas Aces Teams News:
Aces Expected Starting Five Two-Way Forward: PF: A’ja Wilson Athletic Forward: F: Dearica Hamby Veteran Guard: PG: Chelsea Gray Sharp-Shooting Guard: PG: Kelsey Plum Athletic Guard: SG: Jackie Young
BENCH: Kiah Stokes, Theresa Plaisance, Sydney Colson, Aisha Sheppard, Kierstan Bell.
Phoenix Mercury Teams News:
Mercury Expected Starting Five Post Forward: F: Brianna Turner High-Yielding Scorer: C: Tina Charles Two-Way Guard: G: Shey Peddy Isolation Scorer: PG: Skylar Diggins-Smith Playmaking Guard: PG: Diana Taurasi
BENCH: Sophie Cunningham, Diamond DeShields, Megan Gustafson, Emma Cannon, Sam Thomas, Jennie Simms, Kristine Anigwe.
NBA Scores, Fantasy Basketball Top Picks
A’ja Wilson(LVA) Points: 17 Rebounds: 09 Assists: 04 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Forward A’ja is an athletic player, who can be an effective rebounder and can also be an effective scorer as well as a defender. I believe she will be in 16-22 points, 8-13 rebounds, and 1-3 blocks range. She can be selected as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 26-35
Skylar Diggins-Smith (PHO) Points: 10 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 06 Blocks: 01 Diggins-Smith has been an incredible scorer but she missed the last game and she is an incredible all-around player. Skylar can be in 17-23 points, 4-7 assists, and 3-5 rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 21-34
Kelsey Plum(LVA) Points: 14 Rebounds: 03 Assists: 05 Guard Kelsey made only one of her eight shots in the last game but she has been in more than decent groove both as a scorer and playmaker. I believe she will be in 18-24 points and 4-7 assists range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-30
Diana Taurasi (PHO) Points: 31 Rebounds: 03 Assists: 04 Diana is in the twilight of her career but she remains an effective scorer and can still torch the opponents. I believe she will be in 18-24 points and 4-6 assists range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 25-35
Dearica Hamby(LVA) Points: 14 Rebounds: 12 Assists: 00 Steals: 01 Forward Dearica made six of her 12 shots and she has been an incredible rebounder as well as a defender. I believe she will be in 13-18 points, 10-14 rebounds, and 1-3 steals range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 22-33
Tina Charles (PHO) Points: 17 Rebounds: 11 Assists: 01 Steals: 01 Center Charles has not been in full groove trying to adjust to the Mercury template but her rebounding and scoring are always huge. She can be in 16-22 points, 8-12 rebounds, and 1-2 steals/blocks range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-34
(Recommended) PG: K Plum SG: D DeShields, D Taurasi(PP) SF: J Young(SP) PF: T Plaisance, D Hamby, B Turner C: T Charles
(Alternate) PG: K Plum(PP) SG: D DeShields SF: J Young, S Cunningham PF: T Plaisance, D Hamby, B Turner C: A Wilson(SP)
The running game of the Aces is a fun thing while the Mercury will look to match the blows? You can catch this exciting game on the WNBA League Pass through which you have all the live games and also the full-game replays. To learn the scores, news, and stats, go to the official website of the WNBA.