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The Phoenix Mercury host the Atlanta Dream on Saturday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. This will be the inaugural matchup of their season series. The Atlanta Dream kicked off their WNBA regular season in the West, facing off against the Los Angeles Sparks in their season opener. Atlanta's offense displayed remarkable efficiency, securing a 92-81 victory over the Sparks.
Despite starting the season 0-1, the Mercury have promising signs of potential. Their sole loss came against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Despite being considered significant underdogs, the Mercury put up a strong fight and narrowly lost by nine points, highlighting their ability to compete at a high level.
Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury prediction, preview and starting lineups
The highly anticipated Dream against Mercury matchup is set to tipoff at 7:30 a.m. GMT with the game available for live streaming on WNBA League Pass, which gives viewers access to NBA TV with a week's worth of free trial.
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Arizona's Family 3 TV will be available for local broadcast, including Peachtree Sports Network for away coverage.
Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury preview
The Dream have an opportunity to secure a solid regular season by defeating teams of similar or slightly lower caliber on the road. If they can capitalize against the lower-ranked teams in the WNBA, they have the potential to finish above .500, a feat they fell short of last season. Notably, last year, only four teams boasted winning records in the 12-team league, and Atlanta was not among them.
A second road win against Phoenix could provide the Dream with significant confidence in their ability to achieve a winning regular season.
In their recent matchup, Vegas initially outscored Phoenix by 15 points in the first quarter, suggesting a potential one-sided affair. However, the Mercury responded strongly, outscoring the Aces by 14 points in the second quarter and keeping the game competitive throughout.
Despite falling short ultimately, the Mercury remained competitive against the defending champions for the entirety of the game. This performance should instill confidence in the Mercury, but a victory against Atlanta would solidify their belief in their progress.
Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury starting lineups
The Atlanta Dreams will start Haley Jones at PG, Allisha Gray at SG, Rhyne Howard at SF, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus at PF, and Tina Charles at center.
The Phoenix Mercury will start Natasha Cloud at PG, Diana Taurasi at SG, Kahleah Copper at SF, Rebecca Allen at PF, and Natasha Mack at center.
Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury predictions
The Dream demonstrated their offensive prowess by scoring 92 points in their season opener. Now facing a Phoenix team that allowed 89 points in their season opener, Atlanta is likely to continue their scoring momentum.
This places significant pressure on the Phoenix offense to match pace, creating a game-flow scenario where the Mercury will have minimal room for error.
