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The Phoenix Mercury will face the Seattle Storm at home on Friday night. The Mercury lost their previous game 85-75 to the Atlanta Dream. Diana Taurasi led the way with 23 points, but it wasn't enough. Now Phoenix stands at 11-16 on the year. The Storm had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Chicago Sky, bringing their record to 17-9. Phoenix has won the first two head-to-head matchups this year, so let's see if they can make it three in a row on Friday.
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"One last ride" - @ESPN
The Mercury are without Diamond DeShields for Friday's game, and she played a key role in Phoenix's first two wins over Seattle earlier this season. She chipped in with double-digit points in both wins, so we'll see if her absence has an impact on Friday.
Skylar Diggins-Smith is the leading scorer and assister for the Mercury at 19.4 and 5.5 per game. She's put together another solid season in her ninth year in the league. At the moment, Phoenix finds themselves one game out of a playoff spot, and they'll need to string some wins together over the final few weeks of the season.
The visiting Storm currently has control of the fourth seed, but they haven't been as dominant on the road. They're just 6-5 outside of Seattle, while Phoenix is 7-5 on their home floor. The Storm are led by Breanna Stewart, who averages 21.2 points and 7.0 rebounds. Veteran Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, and Ezi Magbegor have all had solid seasons as well. Stewart is one of the frontrunners for MVP at the moment, and she'll try to add to her case on Friday night.
"BREANNA IS COOKING!" - @WNBA
Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm Match Details
Fixture: Seattle Storm @ Phoenix Mercury
Date & Time: Friday, July 22, 10:00 P.M. EDT
Venue: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm Betting Odds
The Storm have just nine losses this year, but following their defeats, they've responded well. They've won each of their last four games following contests that they failed to cover. Also, they've buckled down defensively, and as a result, four of the previous five games following an ATS loss have gone under for Seattle.
Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm Betting Prediction
Seattle has a much better record, and even though they haven't been able to beat Phoenix, they should benefit from DeShields' omission. DeShields is the Mercury's fourth-leading scorer, and they've already missed her presence. Look for the Storm, who have covered all four of their last four directly following a loss, to win and cover on Friday.
Prediction: Seattle Storm -5.5 (-110) & Under 160.5 (-110)
