Phoenix Mercury are considered slight underdogs in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against Chicago.
As the final moments of Game 2 of the WNBA Finals ticked away, the Phoenix Mercury’s quest for a fourth WNBA title was hanging in the balance.
The Mercury faced a difficult situation after losing Game 1 at home to the Chicago Sky, 91-77, and trailing in Game 2 at home as they entered the fourth quarter.
The veteran pair of Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi took control of the game, guiding Phoenix to a thrilling 91-86 overtime win against Chicago and leveling the best-of-five series.
The third game in Chicago is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN2 this Friday. Despite their strong performance in Game 2, Phoenix is expected to be the underdog on Arizona sports betting apps when they play.
Mercury considered slight underdogs in Game 3.
The Mercury are considered slight underdogs in Game 3 of online sports betting in Arizona, with Caesars Sportsbook giving Phoenix a +3 spread and FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona offering a +3.5 (-118) spread.
In DraftKings Sportsbook Arizona, Phoenix has a +3 point spread with odds of -110, and the Mercury have a +100 chance of winning the WNBA title, while the Sky have odds of -120.
In Game 3, TwinSpires Sportsbook Arizona has Phoenix as 3.5-point underdogs. They offer the Mercury at +100 to win the title, while Chicago is listed at -122. Phoenix’s moneyline odds range from +128 (FanDuel) to +140 (Caesars).
The story of how the Mercury and Sky arrived here.
The Mercury managed to even the best-of-five championship series by outscoring the Sky 22-16 in the final quarter and 12-7 in overtime.
In coach Kim Brondello’s system, Griner and Taurasi played a crucial role, combining for 49 points in the team’s total of 91 points. They shot 19 for 35 from the field.
In Game 2, guard Skylar Diggins-Smith was the only other Phoenix starter besides the leading scorer to reach double figures, scoring 13 points on 5-of-18 shooting. Shey Peddy came off the bench to contribute 10 points in 22 minutes, giving Phoenix another scoring option.
Chicago outshot Phoenix with a shooting percentage of 46.3% compared to 44.4%, however, their 16 turnovers ultimately hurt their performance.
Taurasi emerged as the key player for Phoenix, scoring eight of the team’s 12 points in overtime. The former WNBA MVP’s focus on Wednesday was to keep her team in the game during crucial moments, and she praised her teammates for their assistance in reaching that objective.
Taurasi emphasized the significance of concentrating on every possession and maintaining effective communication during high-pressure situations.
Griner emphasized Taurasi’s impact on the team’s offense in Game 2, even though she had missed half of the regular season games due to injuries.
Griner commended her, saying, “She is the GOAT. We have faith in her to deliver in crucial moments and hit important shots for us when the clock is ticking down.”
Author
Peterson Christopher, who has spent over seven years reporting on sports and sports betting in Arizona for various outlets including ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News, now holds the role of lead writer at yengols.com.
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