Phoenix Mercury vs. Indiana Fever Picks & Parlays

Taurasi’s Status in Doubt for Surging Mercury

The Indiana Fever host the Phoenix Mercury on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET), looking to redeem themselves following an 89-84 loss to lowly Washington. Indiana has played better since a 1-8 start, but is still just a fringe playoff team at 9-14. They’ve been among the WNBA’s biggest disappointments after an offseason of hype. 

Phoenix, meanwhile, has won three straight games and is 12-10. The Mercury seem like a relatively safe bet to make the postseason, but their fate will largely hinge on the health of 11-time All-Star and all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi. Taurasi, the league’s oldest player at 42, has missed three of the last four games due to injury. 

Who has the edge in this matchup? We dive into the odds and give our Mercury vs Fever betting analysis.

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Clark Doing Her Part, Needs Help

Caitlin Clark has done her part to lift Indiana, and it shows on the WNBA odds board. The No. 1 overall pick is a healthy -600 favorite to win Rookie of the Year, ahead of Chicago’s Angel Reese (+350). Clark, who notched her first triple-double in a July 6 win over New York, is averaging 16.7 points on 39.8% shooting (34.2% from 3), 7.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds. She is projected for 6.5 boards, making that among the best WNBA bets today.

It hasn’t necessarily translated to wins, though, as Indiana is just 9-14. The loss to Washington was certainly a letdown, and the team now faces questions about forward NaLyssa Smith.

Smith, coming off three straight games with double-digit rebounds, was replaced in the starting lineup Wednesday by Lexie Hull. Smith still played 27 minutes but finished with only two rebounds. Coach Christie Sides didn’t shed much light on the lineup change, calling it a “coach’s decision.”

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Phoenix, meanwhile, is led by Kahleah Copper, who ranks second in the WNBA in scoring (23.0) and is coming off her seventh 30-point effort of the season in Wednesday’s win over Atlanta. Copper, a four-time All-Star and 2021 Finals MVP with Chicago, has taken over the No. 1 scoring from Taurasi, who remains day-to-day with a leg injury. 

Bettors should continue to monitor Taurasi’s status when reviewing their picks for WNBA games. 

Mercury vs Fever Odds

Phoenix climbed as high as 3.5-point favorites before the line shifted back to its opening number of 2.5. This is the sixth time in seven games Phoenix has been favored. 

The Mercury have been among the most profitable teams for bettors, going 14-8 ATS for a cover rate of 63.6%. 

Indiana, meanwhile, is an underdog for the sixth time in seven games. The Fever are 12-11 ATS, including 6-4 at home, but failed to cover as 7-point favorites on Wednesday against Washington. 

This line makes plenty of sense, given the direction of both teams. Phoenix has played better recently, and it has the firepower to match Clark in Cooper and Brittney Griner. 

Be sure to keep that in mind when assessing our Mercury vs Fever betting analysis.

Mercury vs Fever Betting Analysis & Final Overview

Indiana’s dealing with a few concerns, as is Phoenix. Nevertheless, it’s important not to overreact to results on a day-to-day basis. It’s a long season, and the Fever are merely riding a wave.

With that in mind, the Fever could be ticketed for a bounceback effort at home against the Mercury. 

Our Mercury vs Fever betting analysis shows there’s value in taking Indiana to cover as 2.5-point underdogs.