Mercury vs. Dream WNBA Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Wednesday, Aug. 21 (Trust Phoenix as Favorite)

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Phoenix Mercury-Atlanta Dream matchup on Wednesday night.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Atlanta Dream have won back-to-back games out of the Olympic break to pull within 1.5 games of a playoff spot, and they’ll have a chance to gain some ground on the No. 6-seeded Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night. 

Phoenix is two games over .500 on the season – putting together a solid cushion on the No. 6 spot – but it has struggled a bit on the road in 2024, going 6-9 straight up. 

Oddsmakers are giving Diana Taurasi and company the edge in this game even on the road, favoring the Mercury by 1.5 points. With Rhyne Howard coming out of the break playing well and Tina Charles looking like a true co-star, the Dream are looking to prove that their slow start was a fluke in 2024. 

Let’s dive into the odds, key players and my best bet for Wednesday night’s matchup. 

Mercury vs. Dream Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Mercury -1.5 (-110)
• Dream +1.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Mercury: -130
• Dream: +110

Total

• 163.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Mercury vs. Dream How to Watch

• Date: Wednesday, Aug. 21
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Gateway Center
• How to Watch (TV): WNBA League Pass, Mercury Live
• Mercury record: 15-13
• Dream record: 9-17

Mercury vs. Dream Injury Reports

Mercury Injury Report

• Charisma Osborne – out
• Rebecca Allen – out

Dream Injury Report

• Aerial Powers – out
• Cheyenne Parker-Tyus – day-to-day

Mercury vs. Dream Key Players to Watch

Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi: Veteran guard Diana Taurasi had a massive game on Sunday, scoring 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting to beat the Chicago Sky. The Mercury are at their best when Taurasi, Kahleah Copper and Brittney Griner are all getting their fair share in the scoring column. Taurasi is averaging 16.2 points per game in 2024. 

Atlanta Dream

Rhyne Howard: After a 30-points showing in her first game out of the Olympic break, Howard scored just 13 points on 3-or-11 shooting in a win over the Connecticut Sun. The best player on the Dream, Howard needs to have a good second half for Atlanta to sneak into the playoffs. 

Mercury vs. Dream Prediction and Pick

I’ve been impressed with Atlanta’s play out of the Olympic break, knocking off two playoff teams in Seattle and Connecticut, but I think the streak ends here.

Both of those teams match up well with Atlnata’s struggling offense, as they’re defensive minded squads and the Sun love to slow the game down. That helps Atlanta’s poor shooting stay afloat. 

The Mercury are quite the opposite. They are one of the five best shooting teams in the WNBA, and they rank No. 3 in offensive rating. With Brittney Griner back, the Mercury have a tough Big 3 with her, Kahleah Copper and Diana Taurasi. 

Atlanta lost the first meeting between these teams back in May, but Griner did not play in that contest. 

While the Mercury aren’t great on the road, they have dominated as favorites, going 9-3 against the spread.

I’ll back them to earn a road victory on Wednesday. 

Pick: Mercury Moneyline (-130)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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